Printer problems and solutions for the Canon PIXMA IP3500

Problem: Waste Ink Tank Almost Full

Solution 1: You can reset the waste ink tank counter yourself. Be aware that this doesn't actually empty the waste ink tank itself (a little felt pad deep inside your printer), but it does allow you to continue printing.

1: Power off printer
2: Hold Resume button then press and hold POWER, the beeper will sound once.
3: Hold POWER and release RESUME
4: Press RESUME twice, then release all buttons
5: When the indicator lights steady, press RESUME three or four times. The indicator should be orange.
6: Press Power to set data

To actually drain the waste ink tank, you'll need to take your printer to pieces and find, clean, wash and dry the felt pads found in the base of the printer. This is a complicated procedure, but it is a good idea to do it if you're technically minded. Many people have just reset the code without actually draining the pads and very few have run into problems as a result. If you do this, you risk damaging your printer and/or the surface it sits on if the pads absorb too much ink. However, if you're going to buy a new printer anyway, you might just reset the code and stand it on a piece of paper or card. It's up to you, just understand the risks.

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Problem: Prints are coming out too dark

Solution 1: This is a common issue that is largely down to personal taste. The only real way to improve (i.e. lighten) your prints is to first lighten them using a piece of photo editing software. A good choice would be Adobe Photoshop elements, but there are free alternatives. Do a google search for "Free Photo Editing Software" (there should be a google search box on this page near the top).
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Problem: Very low print quality

Solution 1: There are a number of steps you can take to solve this problem (in order of easiest & least expensive first).

1. Make sure you have tried printing a nozzle check and you've carried out all the maintenance tasks that the manual alows (align print head, clean print head etc).
2. Your cartridge may be faulty. Ink cartridges that use non-genuine ink are of variable quality and you use them at your own risk. Even genuine cartridges can expire if used after the expiry date. Bad ink can clog your nozzle. It may be that you have a dried-out ink cartridge - try another one if you have one handy.
3. The print head may need cleaning. There are Canon print head cleaning kits available (use Google top right) or you could try doing this yourself - some people have had success immersing the print head (not the cartridge) in cleaning alcohol, warm water or using compressed air to gently blow through the nozzles.
4. Buy a new print head. Check the prices before you do this as (a) you may be throwing good money after bad, and (b) the price of a new printer may be the same as a new print head. Again, use Google (top right of this page) to search for these if you wish.
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Problem: Genuine original Canon vs Compatible & Refill Cartridges - which should I use?

Solution 1: It really is up to you. There are many people who swear by refills and compatible cartridges, and many others who have had problems with them. In a nutshell:

Dangers: Compatible/refilled cartridges vary in ink quality. Poor quality ink can dry out your print head and cause damage. You can replace your print head, but this can cost as much as a new printer. You will also invalidate your warranty by using non-genuine ink.

Benefits: Canon ink is very expensive and good quality compatible substitutes can severely cut the cost of printing without damaging your printer.

Minimise the risks - you can take the following steps to minimise the risks of damaging your printer (it's a good idea to follow this advice whether you use genuine cartridges or not):

- Try not to let your cartridges run dry - this can clog the print head.
- Always power off the printer using the printer's power switch rather than simply unplugging and switching off at the mains. The reason is that some printers keep the ink in a ready (i.e. open) state when they are printing to keep printing time shorter. When you power off the printer, it closes the ink cover, keeping the ink tanks sealed. If you just unplug the unit, it will not cover the print head and leave it exposed. For this reason, you should restart your printer and shut it down again if you experience a power cut while the unit is on.
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Problem: keeps saying paper jammed but there is no paper there

Solution 1: It might be that something has dropped down inside the printer and the internal sensors are picking up on this. This happened to our printer, where a paper clip fell inside, although we couldn't see it. The printer kept telling us there was a paper jam although obviously the paper was not jammed. If you are clever enough to know what you are doing you could carefully take the printer apart and find the culprit. The alternative is to take it to somewhere to get it looked at which could cost as much as the printer.
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Problem: PRINTER WILL ONLY PRINT COLOUR NOT BLACK

Solution 1: Set the paper type to High Resolution
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