I just replaced my printer ink cartridge and now my printer alarm lights are flashing--16 flashes on

[Mrsfishduck]

I just replaced my printer ink cartridge and now my printer's alarm lights are flashing--16 flashes on my MG Pixma 3520 printer.  My manual says 16 flashes indicates out of ink--but it is a new cartridge.  

HELP!!

[jrhoffman75]

You didn't say which model printer. Someone reported a similar problem. Turns out they forgot to remove the tape that covered the contacts on the cartridge. 

[Mrsfishduck]

Thanks for responding.  I am deaIing with a Canon Pixma MG3520 printer and I did remove the contact-covering tape.  After running out of things to try, I finally changed the second (color) cartridge too.  I have not had to do this in the past; I just leave the empty color cartridge in its slot and with a new black one, everything has worked jjust fine.  I didn't want to put in the new color cartridge yet; but after I did, everything worked just fine.  I know you can't leave one of the slots empty, but is there something wrong with leaving an empty cartridge in one of the slots and just replacing the other one?  Or was there just a tiny amount of ink in the color cartridge until now and I just thought it was empty; and you can't have an empty cartridge if you want the printer to work?  

Again, thanks

[jrhoffman75]

If you don't configure the printer to print only black then it will fail to print if color cartridge is empty. The Canon printers rely on the ink to cool the head; the printing procress involves the the head being heated and the ink is squirted out (InkJet). To protect the head it won't print if there is no ink.

[Cgolias120]

I'm having that problem too. I have a PIXMA 3520. The alarm light blinks and the box says the ink is low, but I'm not sure how to reset it. I refill the cartridges at Costco for $8. It detects that a new cartridge was installed, but the ink monitor doesn't reset. It thinks black ink is low. I checked the cartridge and it still feels pretty full--I just replaced it recently. How do i reset the ink level monitor so I can print? I'm in college and need my printer to work, as I'm in an English course where I have to write 3-4 papers. I've so far written 1. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[jrhoffman75]

[Patrick]

HI Cgolias120,

We recommend that you only use genuine Canon ink cartridges.  Using a third-party ink cartridge may prevent your printer from performing optimally, potentially resulting in an adverse effect on your printer and / or poorer print quality.  Using refilled ink cartridges may be the cause of the issue that you are experiencing.

[Cgolias120]

All I do is have the original cartridges refilled with new ink. It costs $8 at Costco and saves me a lot of money. I'm on a very tight budget, so I cannot afford to keep buying new cartridges all the time. I just reuse the original Canon cartridges. Holding the stop/resume button down for 5 blinks of the alarm light did dysfunct the ink monitor so I can use Costco ink in the Canon cartridges I have.

[myeyes32085]

I'm at this very moment am going through the Exact same thing any solution?