Thursday, November 22, 2012

Canon Pixma MX328 Printer Error Check Ink U163

Canon Pixma MX328
Canon Pixma MX328

What is Error U163 in Canon Pixma MX328?

U163 is an error code that appears in the LCD Display Panel after the printer detected that an ink has run out from 1 or 2 of the ink cartridges inside the printer.

During the printing process when the ink run out from the ink cartridges and the paper print is blank, this error will not appear unless you remove the black and the color ink cartridges from the cartridge carrier. After you refill them using manufactured inks and return them back inside the printer, error u163 will appear. This because the printer detected that the ink cartridges that you place inside the printer was already out of ink. 

How to Fix Error U163 in Canon MX328?

 
The best advise is to replace the empty ink cartridge with OEM cartridge. However, for most printer users who wants to save extra money, they would resort to refilling their empty cartridges with manufactured inks.And later experience the U163 error.

Here is what you need to do to clear this error:
Canon Pixma MX328 Stop/Reset Button
Canon Pixma MX328 Stop/Reset Button
1. While the printer is on, return the refilled cartridges inside the printer and close the top lid cover together with the scanning unit cover.
2. Wait for the error to appear. If the error did not appear, try printing or copying, to display this error in LCD display panel.
3. When error is there, press and hold the Stop/Reset button. Do not release the Stop/Reset button until you see the printer self-restarted.
4. After the printer initialize successfully, you can now release the button.

Note: On some occasion after it clears the U163 error, the next error to appear is U162. You just need to press and hold again the Stop/Reset button and wait for it to self-restart before you release the button.

Canon Pixma MX328 Printer Error 5100

Canon Pixma MX328
Canon Pixma MX328

What is Error 5100 in Canon Pixma MX328?

5100 is a carriage home position error most commonly experience when using Canon Printer most especially model of Canon Pixma. This error occurs when the carriage, or the ink cartridge carrier, can not move freely and suddenly stops while printing. As soon as the printer is turn on, and something prevented the cartridge carrier from completing its initialization process then the error 5100 also appears in the LCD control panel.

How to Fix Error 5100 in Canon Pixma MX328?


Canon MX328 With Top Cover Open
Canon MX328 with cartridge carrier exposed
By careful inspection on the sliding mechanism of the carriage you can pinpoint if there is an obstruction on the print path.

But first of all, while the printer is on, you need to lift up the top lip cover together with the scanning unit cover to expose the cartridge carrier. See the figure: 

What you need to do next is to unplug the power cord at the back of the printer leaving the cartridge carrier at the center position of the printer.

Then, you can follow the following steps to figure and fix the obstruction that cause carrier not to park properly in the home positon:
1. Use your hand to move the carriage sideways and look for paper or small objects that obstruct the movement of the carriage. Look on the farther right cause often crumpled paper, tapes and dried ink in the absorber pads are the culprit.
2.  Feel the movement, if the carriage seems to stuck, you may need to lubricate the sliding mechanism.
3. If you are using a CIS or Contineous Ink System, check to see if the ink tube is properly fix inside.If the tube is loosen up at the ink cartridge carrier, this is primarily the cause of the problem.

After you figure out what cause the obstruction, plug the power cord at the back of the printer and see how the error code disappear.