Printer Head Cleanings Not Working (Pixma MP495)

[mrkprinter]

After running the printer head nozzle cleaning and the "deep" cleaning several times, I still get uneven printing (in the black ink sections) and white lines running through colored sections.  What can I do to fix this?  (PIXMA MP495)

[Ramona]

Hello mrkprinter,

Since you have already performed multiple cleanings and deep cleanings on the unit and are still experiencing the same issue, we can perform a print head alignment on the unit to see if this will fix the problem.  Please follow the steps below to perform a print head alignment:

• Ensure that the printer is powered on.
• Load paper.
  
  1. Open the Paper Support, raise it, then tip it back (1).
  2. Open the Paper Output Tray gently, and open the Output Tray Extension (2).
     
     
     
     
• Load a sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder (or ASF).
  
  
  
  
• Print the print head alignment sheet.
  
  1. Press the <> (Maintenance) button repeatedly until [u] appears.
     
     
     
     
     Note: If you want to print out the current alignment values, select on the LED to print the current head position adjustment values.
  2. Press the <Black> or <Color> button. The machine prints the head alignment sheet.
     
     
     
     Note: Do not touch any printed part on the print head alignment sheet. Do not dirty the print head alignment sheet. If the sheet is stained or wrinkled, the pattern may not be scanned correctly.
• Scan the print head alignment sheet to adjust the print head position.
  
  
  1. Place the print head alignment sheet on the platen glass, then close the Document Cover gently. Place the print head alignment sheet with the printed side facing down on the glass and the align the mark or the upper corner of the sheet with the alignment mark .
     
     
     
     
  2. Confirm that U is displayed in the LED.
     If U is not displayed, press the <Maintenance> button repeatedly until [U] appears.
     
     
     
     
  3. Press the <Black> or <Color> button.
• The machine scans the head alignment sheet and aligns the print head automatically. When adjusting the print head position is complete, the LED returns to the copy standby mode. Remove the sheet on the Platen Glass.
  
  Note:
  * Do not open the Document Cover or move the print head alignment sheet until scanning is complete.

Should the print head alignment not fix the problem, the printer will unfortunately require servicing to resolve the issue.  Please click on the Contact Us link below to obtain your servicing options.

Hope this helps!

This didn't answer your question or issue? Find more help at Contact Us.

[mrkprinter]

I sent a service email to Canon because it did not work, unfortunately. If there's anything else I can try in the meantime, let me know.  Thank you for your help.

[chocolatecake]

I am having this same problem as well where some lines don't print for my black ink. I have done all the maintenance possible including a manual alighment (the numbers in black did not print for the alignment pages) and several deep cleanings. What's the next step? It's like every 3 lines doesn't print properly.

[Mike]

Hello, chocolatecake!

If you've already completed the normal maintenance on your PIXMA MP495 printer, there is one other maintenance step that may be helpful.

Please go to the following link to review the steps needed to clean the printer's encoder strip. When it gets dirty, it presents symptoms very much like those described above.

Link: https://Canon.us/3kc76

If this fails to fix the issues your printer is experiencing, it may be time to look for a new printer. You'd qualify for the Canon Upgrade Program through our sales department which would give you a discount on a replacement plus free shipping. 

We hope this helps!

[chocolatecake]

Thanks so much for this article. I followed the instructions and tried printing again and it seems to be working! I don't know if it was cleaning the timing strip or if just waiting a couple of days since all the other tests/maintenance fixed the problem, but it's working now, and I'm happy! I appreciate your quick response too! (I didn't expect anyone to respond to a reply on such an old thread). THANK YOU!

[chocolatecake]

Thanks for the quick response! I will give this a try. I’m hoping this works because I just installed a brand new ink cartridge and would hate for that to go to waste.