PIXMA iP5200 stopped printing black text.

[Mola]

I have a PIXMA iP5200 printer and it has stopped printing black text. When clean the printhead and perform thr nozzle test the PGBK pattern at the top of the page does not show!! However if i send a word document to print and change the settings to 'photo' the black text prints!!. Any help would be very much appricated.

[RodF]

Had the same problem with our iP5200R. ONLY the large black ink tank wouldn't print. Have a look at the You Tube demos for cleaning the printheads. There are several such videos on You Tube. It's an easy thing to do, but be careful not to get the gold-coloured contact on the back wet (you'll see them), and also becareful not to let ink get on clothing etc.

Edit: Forgot the link I intended to give you - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEkKGBUSwNg

[Mola]

Thanks for sending on the link - I will have a go at cleaning the printhead during the week but i'd say its looking like i will need to purchase a new prithead.

[RodF]

Well, I have to admit that when this problem arose with my iP5200R, I followed the directions in that video (there are other You Tube videos showing the same procedure). I had to repeat them several times, and the printing of black text worked a couple of times before stopping again. I ended up using up a full, new black ink tank (the bigger one) with no positive result. I decided that at that rate, with the price of ink, the iP5200R's days were numbered. Very, very annoying.

New printheads cost more than a new printer - at least in this sort of price range. I now have an iP7250.

This shouldn't put you off trying the directions to clean the print heads though. It could well work for you.

[Mola]

Hello RodF,

Many thanks for the tip but I did not get a chance to clean the print head as the printer started to display an amber flashing light.  After reading some articles online I found i needed to replace the print head.  So to cut a long story short I purchsed a replacement print head online for €40 and i am back up and runing.