New PIXMA G3200 black ink always clogging!

[SimmZ]

On paper, the new Canon PIXMA G3200 is an amazing printer and one of the most ink-efficient printer on the market. This is what I thought when I purchased it under a year ago. Unfortunately there's obviously a design problem with this printer because the black printhead is constantly clogging while not used for a few weeks. This is not my first Canon Pixma printer and I haven't changed my printing habits, but this is the first printer I have with this kind of problem with ink clogging. It remember me the old generation of Epson printer who are well known for ink clogging when not used constantly! I use the genuine Canon ink as well (I am still on my factory tank) and the printer is still 2/3 full. I don't experience any issues with colors, but the black printhead is constantly clogging and the printer stop to print ANY traces of black on documents. I tried performing some "basic head cleaning" process in the printer utilities, even 2-3 times, but there's no way to un-clog my black head. The only way is to perform the "advanced head cleaning" who drain lot of ink and take lot of time. Then the printer is working flawlessly again for a few weeks, until the black clog again.

I am very disapointed of my Canon printer, especially considering it high price tag for a personal printer. I don't really expect to find a solution to this problem here, since it's obviously a design flaw, but I would like to share this experience with other owner and see if someone find any workaround maybe 🙂

Thanks folks!

[Stephen · Accepted solution]

Hi, SimmZ!

Thanks for reaching out to Canon USA! This doesn't sound normal at all, and we highly recommend reaching out to support to investigate this issue further. Here in the USA, our team can be reached at 1-800-OK-CANON (800-652-2666) weekdays from 8am to 8pm (ET), excluding holidays. 

If you're outside the USA, please click HERE and select your region/country for your support options.

[rxjoan]

Well my PIXMA just clogged and I didn't realize it seems to be a commom problem.  For me it's the Magenta colour that isn't working so nothing comes out a RED colour.  So frustrating! I watched a YouTube video from Thailand and I may try that but first I have to go and get a small syringe.  I used a large syringe to draw the ink along the tubes but that didn't seem to help. Are those tubes to always be filled with ink?  I seem to have air pockets.  Then if that doesn't work, I may call Canon service..but only if I get desperate.

[Andrewsilk]

You should NOT have air in the tubes.  Don't open up the cartridge that is connected to the tubes (the printhead part), as this allows air into it.  

[robertfernst]

I have air in the tube.  How do I remedy this issue?  Printing large blocks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black did not help.  Still can't print black, but the other 3 still print fine despite air in the tubes... 🤔

[kgw51gmc]

Mine printed 100 pages in one day last week, then the next day it wouldn't print anything.   The cartidge is 2/3 full.  I get the error codes like today: error code 5B00.      OTher times other codes, no matter what it is always a code for something.   When I printed the 100 pages last week, it was a day of celebration.  I printed everything I needed to and it was awesome.  But the next day...pfft.   The months prior to that...pfft.         Might as well get a dot matrix.  Those things would print on asphalt shingles.   The only way I get satisfaction out of things like this is to heave over my head and slam it directly onto the concrete sidewalk.   Worked great for my wagner power sprayer, my old cell phone, and a gas grille a few years back.  This printer is impossible.    No matter how many people look it over, noone can figure it out.    I should have returned it long ago.   I have to print things at work or at neighbor's.   If we went to the moon fifty years ago...why can't I print in 2020?

[kgw51gmc]

and the cartridges have NEVER moved to the center when opening the top of the printer. You open it and it does nothing. Always has been this way. And only way to get it to print was to do the clean deep cycle and guess what...that fills the ink absorber! And I want to try cleaning the ink absorber but i can't get to it because nothing moves to the center. AHHHHH.

[Darius]

Hi rxjoan, kgw51gmc, and Andrewsilk.

If the standard troubleshooting did not work to restore ink flow to the G3200, then you will need to contact our support for service options.  If you are in the U.S., and have not yet done so, register the printer to your Canon Account, Support optons will be shown there.

If you are located outside of the U.S. then you may find your regional branch of Canon through the map at https://global.canon/en/support.

Did this answer your question? Please click the Accept as Solution button so that others may find the answer as well.

[JCanon3200]

 I have done head cleaning and deep cleaning black is still a problem. My pixma G3200 needs a system clean. how can I do this?

[rxjoan]

Got the same issue, except the blank is printing fine, but the colours will not come out.  I watched the video from Thialand too. I used multiple sized sypringes, all of which drew the ink up along the tubes.  The second I took off the syringe, the ink disappeared.  The interesting part is that the ink in the black tube shows air spaces as well, but it still prints... I just can't get the colours to print.  ...so frustrating!  I am printing once or twice a week regularly, so there's no reason it should clog. So disappointed because despite the fact I have lots of ink left in the bottles, it's useless.