imageCLASS MF269dw -- Printer says toner out for months but keeps on printing fine

[genuinecanon]

I have a imageCLASS MF269dw. The printer has indicated no toner left for months. Toner level is at 0%. Drum Cartridge is at 70%.  Yet, the print quality is fine. I didn't plan to change the cartridge until the print quality is truly bad. I'm on my 2nd toner cartridge since purchasing the printer in 2020. I am using a genuine Canon cartridge. Counter is at 6844 -- though I need someone to tell me what that counter means.

If there is nothing to worry about, how do get the printer to recognize the toner level. It seems it starts warning me way too early to buy another cartridge.

Thank you!!

 

[Hector · Accepted solution]

Hello,

The toner level indicator is based off of an estimated page yield for the toner cartridge. The toner cartridge has a chip that keeps track of the page count and when it reaches the estimated page count, the toner level will be at 0.

The level for the toner cartridge can be at 0 and there can still be toner left since the level is based off of the estimated toner page yield. The printer can't detect the amount of toner powder in the cartridge itself and can only estimate. You can cancel any toner level errors that prevent you from printing and continue printing until you see a drop in print quality, but I would suggest having a toner cartridge ready for replacement..

[normadel]

In my experience with my Color Image Class MF8350cdn printer, there can be a lot of toner left when you get a low-toner warning. It's the same thing with ink level warning my MG5420 Inkjet.

I don't know if Canon is unique in this area, but it is easy to understand a printer manufacturer wanting to sell lots of toner and ink. I print until my output shows that levels are REALLY exhausted. WIth a laser printer, toner usage is not necessarily uniform across the width of the cartridge, and the toner-level sensor can give a false reading. I take out the "offending" cartridge and gently shake it side-to-side to distribute the toner evenly. The warning goes away a number of times before the toner is really exhausted.

[dexman335]

If an integrated circuit chip is used to monitor toner levels inside of the cartridge, it may not be functioning properly.

If the problem has been experienced by both cartridges, then the circuitry that reads the chip could be bad.

imageCLASS models such as the MF733 & 743 can be optioned to change how much toner is left before the warning message appears.

[Hector · Accepted solution]

Hello,

The toner level indicator is based off of an estimated page yield for the toner cartridge. The toner cartridge has a chip that keeps track of the page count and when it reaches the estimated page count, the toner level will be at 0.

The level for the toner cartridge can be at 0 and there can still be toner left since the level is based off of the estimated toner page yield. The printer can't detect the amount of toner powder in the cartridge itself and can only estimate. You can cancel any toner level errors that prevent you from printing and continue printing until you see a drop in print quality, but I would suggest having a toner cartridge ready for replacement..

[salspeaking]

Good news that you can cancel toner level errors on MF269dw. How? Toner level shows 0% and I haven't found any way to override. I've followed the error's instructions several times, shaking the cartridge, etc but the last instruction to close everything doesn't clear to allow me to hit next, I gone through all the menus, I've signed in to the IP with a browser to see if there were other options there. Help would be appreciated.

[PrintingFun8888]

I have the same mf269dw printer. It comes up with a "prepare toner cartridge notification" and it no longer prints. Toner is at 20% Drum is at 100%, counter is 850. Print quality was perfect the last time it printed and I'm sure there is tons more ink left. How did you "cancel any toner level errors that prevent you from printing and continue printing until you see a drop in print quality"? I've tried holding clear and stop for 10 seconds each and together and it just won't accept the print job. Any help would be great!

[dexman335]

Is the toner genuine Canon, or is it an alternate brand? 🤔

[PrintingFun8888]

Hi Dexman335. Everything in the printer is what came in the box from Canon, ie genuine Canon. Any idea how did you "cancel any toner level errors that prevent you from printing and continue printing until you see a drop in print quality"?

[dexman335]

While I dig through the menu on my 743, here is the path to check/read estimated toner levels:

Status Monitor->Device Information->Cartridge Information.

What does it show? 🤔 

[dexman335]