Just threads paper. But won't print

[Shadystraz360]

For some reason my printer won't print. It threads the paper, the cartridge makes it's usual sound. Then just spits the paper out and says "Check the printer for errors"... and thats it.
It does the same for both Wi-Fi prints and cable connected prints. It won't say what the error is, or what to fix. The printer just flashes, and the screen says "Check for errors"...

Why won't it print?
Sometimes it will do one, then the next one will display the error... no reason for it. Ink is connected, paper is threaded, flaps are open. But starts, pause, spits out. Displays error....

Please help because it makes ZERO sense to me.
I have a Canon MG3550

Thanks

[HalLeonard]

Shady, this can indicate a printhead problem. Was there an extended period when the printer was not used? Were you using off-brand inks? Did the printhead get wet? Any of those can clog a printhead and cause this issue. But then it does work sometimes...

I doubt it's a driver issue, since the problem is only intermittent, but a driver issue is a quick and easy thing to check. Power the printer off. Go to Devices and Printers in Windows, right-click the icon for your printer, and select Remove device. Reboot. Power the printer back up. The driver should load automatically.

Same issue? Try this printer on a different computer with a different USB printer cable if you can, to be sure it still happens there too, so you know it's really the printer. If it's still doing it, check out this article:

http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/print-head-bad-7940.html

As they suggest, try cleaning the printhead using Canon's Deep Cleaning procedure from the Canon Maintenance menu in Printer Properties, several times if necessary. Yeah this burns a lot of ink, but at this point, you have nothing to lose.

If it's not getting better, you may need a new printhead or printer to fix it. Generally for most printers, once the warranty has expired, having to get this issue serviced means it's time to sound taps, because the service cost can exceed the cost of a replacement printer. You can try looking on eBay for a replacement printhead, but that's a roll of the dice too. I would probably replace the printer. See if you get some other ideas here first. Good luck. I hope you can get it going.

[Shadystraz360]

Thanks for the reply...

i will try to answer your points individually...

There was a period of time, not long.... maybe 2-3 weeks. I never use off-brand inks. Canon brand inks only. Printhead has never touched water.... i have times when it will print the 1st sheet, then any prints after will start to take the paper, sits there, then threads it through and displays the error...

i had the printhead cleaned. And deep cleaned.. I did the whole switch off routine and reboot it with the computer connected. I have used 2 different computers... and same story on both. Even with the ipad using Wi-Fi...

i hace a suspicion its the format im printing in.. because it didnt do this with word formats, txt files or jpeg images, but when i try to print a pdf document it has this issue, but then im curious as to why only this format has the problem...

thanks again for the reply... its about 3 yrs old this printer, but has been treated well... i always look after things like this, so its annoying when it starts to get funny.

[HalLeonard]

OK. Two to three weeks unused won't normally do this. Two or three months off could, but it would usually happen trying to print all documents, all images, or both, if it was a clogged printhead.

I agree; now to me it's more suspicious for a software issue if every format but PDF prints fine. How are you printing PDF files? From Adobe Acrobat Reader? Another PDF program? A browser? Word? All of the above?

Are you in Windows? Is Windows up to date?  (EDIT: never mind, obviously, if you have this issue with an iPad as well)

The issue was repeated on a second computer and with an iPad but still only printing PDFs? (Now that would be unexpected... EDIT and see my next post:  unless there was a problem with the PDF file(s) you were trying to print, in which case, it would be expected and would occur on other printers too. A PDF file can look fine on the screen but be unprintable. This has happened to me too on rare occasion.)

[HalLeonard]

Have you tried these?

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/troubleshoot-pdf-printing-acrobat-reader.html

Does this problem occur with a bunch of different PDF files, or only one particular PDF file, or only PDF files from one particular source? (As they suggest, a particular PDF file may be corrupt and other people with different printers trying to print the same file could have the same issue.)

[johnsda01]

Check the paper thickness lever inside the paper output "tray". For regular paper it should be slid all the way to the right.