Odd problem at power up. Cartriges slam back and forth.

I'm trying to fix a printer for a friend of mine.

Lexmark x1180

It has an odd problem I never seen before. when you turn on the power (which is automatic once the power cord is in) it starts moving the paper loader and ink cartridges for 2 seconds over and over and over again. Basically it slams the cartridges back and forth non-stop (it doesn't take them all the way to the other side, around quarter way).

Now I've played with it a bit, the power button (or any other button) doesn't respond, just keeps flashing anew every time it starts again (every 2 seconds like I mentioned).

Now I believe it's a physical problem since I randomly turned it over (upside down) and after 3 times of slamming back and forth, it suddenly stops and works (haven't tried printing with it yet in that mode) even if I turn it back upright again. problem is once you turn it off and back on again, it's back to the same problem again.

I was wondering before I open it up if anyone here has an idea of what I should be looking for once I open it? or which area should I be looking at? I'm guessing it's some kind of mechanism that holds it in place or such?

As for the rubber strip that moves the cartridges, nothing seems to be blocking it's way, if I move myself the cartridges all the way to the end, it rolls it back with no problem.