Orange blinking light on Pixma Pro 100

[Casfrustrated]

I am receiving 4 blinking lights on my Pixma Pro 100. I'm receiving a product code error 1660. I have tried reseeding the ink tanks but it's still blinking. Is there any way I can tell exactly which ink tank I need to put a new ink into? All the ink tanks have new or nearly new ink in each ink tank. I saw on the forum for another printer that was having a similar issue that they suggested I clean the contacts. What do I use to clean the contacts and how do I go about cleaning the contacts? I called canon about the issue and their solution was for me to get a new printer. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I prefer not to go that route. I tried unplugging the printer to see if that would work..

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Try removing and reinstalling the print head.

Canon Knowledge Base - Reinstall the Print Head - PIXMA PRO-10, PRO-100

[Casfrustrated]

how would I go by reinstalling the print head? Do I need to buy a new one?

[jrhoffman75]

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@Casfrustrated wrote:

how would I go by reinstalling the print head? Do I need to buy a new one?

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The link I posted above explains how to remove and install the print head. Ink has nothing to do with the error. For some reason the printer isn't reading the cartridge info, which is contained in the chip on the cartridge. In addition, the printer does not "read" the ink level. Ink level is estimated based on amount of printing performed. There is an optical sensor that responds when the cartridge is empty.

Failure to read can be caused by a failed printhead, failed ribbon cable or circuit board in the printer, or sometimes just a poor connection between print head and the connections in the head holder.

[Casfrustrated]

do I need to remove and re-install the print head?

[Casfrustrated]

I reinstalled the print head. I don't think its the cartridges because no matter what position I put the cartridges in there are 3 of them that will not read. Out of the 8 cartridges no matter where they are placed only 5 will be read. As soon as I put the 6th out of 8 cartridges in none of them reads, but when I take the 6th cartridge out the other are able to be read. Is that an indication that I have a faulty circuit board in the printer?  Is there anything else that could be wrong, and I should check? I really appreciate your help.

[jrhoffman75]

I am not a printer repair person. Just a retired nuclear engineer with pretty good diagnostic skills 🙂

When you remove the head look closely at the contacts on the head holder. See anything wrong like bent or maybe one or more lower than the others? If there's nothing obvious wrong there I am guessing its a connector cable or a board failure.

I don't know where the printer can be serviced or where to get parts. Unfortunately labor time is expensive, and you could probably spend more than a new Pro-200 trying to get it fixed.

[Casfrustrated]

I looked up in YouTube how to clean the print head. I’m in the process of cleaning. I will let you know tomorrow if it worked. So do you think I have clogged print heads? I hope it works. 

[Casfrustrated]

I cleaned the print heads. I'm still getting the 4 blinking orange lights. Anymore suggestions on how I can get around the product code 1660. I really don't what to buy a new printer. Is the error because all the ink in the ink tank is bad or just one of the inks is bad? really frustrated!! Do I need to reset the printer after completing the cleaning of the print heads?  

[Casfrustrated]

this is what I'm getting now. I have changed out all the ink tanks but these 3 are still giving the problem. As soon as I put a new ink tank in one of these all the rest become unrecognizable.