Canon printer PIXMA iP3500 User Manual

							57
Troubleshooting
„ Printed Surface Is Scratched/Paper Is Smudged
CauseAction
Paper Feed Roller is dirty. Clean the Paper Feed Roller. Cleaning the Paper Feed Roller will wear the 
roller, so perform this procedure only when necessary.
For details on cleaning, see “Cleaning the Paper Feed Roller (Roller Cleaning)” 
on page 44.
Inside of the printer is dirty. When performing duplex printing, if the specified paper size does not match the  actual size of paper loaded in the paper source, the inside will become stained 
with ink, causing printed paper to become smudged.
Perform the Bottom Plate Cleaning to clean the inside of the printer.
For details, see “Cleaning the Inside of the Printer” on page 48.
NoteTo prevent the inside of the printer from stains, set the paper size correctly.
Printing on inappropriate type of paper. zCheck to see if the paper you are printing on is not too thick or curled.
See “Media Types You Cannot Use” on page 6.
z When performing Borderless Printing, print quality may be reduced at the top 
and bottom edges of the paper. Make sure that the paper you are using is 
suitable for Borderless Printing. 
For details, refer to “Printing Area” in the  User’s Guide on-screen manual.
Inappropriate Paper Thickness Lever 
setting. Adjust the position of the Paper Thickness Lever according to the type of paper 
you are printing on.
See “Loading Printing Paper” on page 4.
Depending on the printing content, the printing surface may become scratched 
even for the types of paper to set the lever to the left. In this case, set the Paper 
Thickness Lever to the right.
* Reset the Paper Thickness Lever to the left when you finish printing. If the 
lever is not set back to the left, the inside of the printer is more likely to get dirty 
due to the wider clearance between the print head and the loaded paper. It 
may also reduce print quality.
NoteIf the corners or edges of the paper are smudged, try to print with the Paper 
Thickness Lever set to the right. 
						

							58Troubleshooting
Paper is curled. For Plain Paper
Turn the paper over and reload it to print on the other side.
Leaving the paper loaded in the Rear Tray for a long time may cause the 
paper to curl. If this happens, load the paper with the other side facing up. It 
may resolve the problem.
We recommend putting unused paper back into the package and keep them 
on a level surface.
For Other Paper If you are using paper with either any of the corners or the whole printing 
surface curled, the paper may become dirty, not feed properly, or both. Use 
such paper after correcting paper curl as follows.
(1) With the printing side (A) facing up, cover the paper with a fresh sheet of 
plain paper to avoid staining or scratching the surface.
(2) Roll up the paper in a direction opposite to paper curl as seen below.
(3) Check to see that the paper curl is within approximately 0.08 to 0.2 inches / 2 
to 5 mm (B) in height.
We recommend printing curl-corrected paper one sheet at a time.
NoteDepending on the media type, the paper may be smudged or may not be fed 
properly even if it is not curled.
In such case, follow the procedure described the above in “For Other Paper” to 
curl the paper before printing.
This may improve the print result.
CauseAction
(A)
(1) (2)
(B)
(A) 
						

							59
Troubleshooting
Printer Does Not Start
CauseAction
The printer is not powered on. / The 
power cord is no connected. Make sure that the power cord is securely plugged into the Power Cord 
Connector of the printer. Plug the power cord all the way in, since it may be 
difficult to plug.
Ink tank is empty. Open the Top Cover of the printer to confirm how the ink lamps light or flash,  and then take the appropriate action depending on the error condition. For 
details, see “Getting the Ink Status Information” on page 23.
Ink tank not installed in proper position. Open the Top Cover and check the ink lamps. If there is still sufficient ink but its ink lamp is flashing red, an ink tank may be 
installed in a wrong position.
Confirm that the ink tanks are installed in the appropriate positions. See 
“Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
Ink tank is not installed securely. Open the Top Cover and check the ink lamps. If the ink lamp is not lit, press the   mark on the ink tank until it clicks into 
place. The ink lamp lights up red when the ink tank is fully inserted.
Unnecessary print jobs are left in 
queue. / Computer problems. Restarting your computer may solve the problem.
If there are any unnecessary print jobs, follow the procedure below to delete 
them.
(1)
Open the printer properties dialog box.
Refer to “Opening the Printer Properties Dialog Box Directly from Control 
Panel” in “Opening the Printer Properties Dialog Box (Windows)” of the 
User’s Guide  on-screen manual.
(2) Click the  Maintenance  tab and then  View Printer Status .
The printer status monitor is displayed.
(3) Click  Display Print Queue .
(4) Select  Cancel All Documents  on the Printer menu.
You may not be able to select this depending on the privileges of the 
account.
(5) When the confirmation message is displayed, click  Ye s.
The print jobs are deleted.
(1) Click the printer icon in the Dock to display the list of print jobs in progress.
In Mac OS X v.10.2.8, click the printer icon in the Dock to start up the  Print 
Center  and double-click the name of your printer in the  Printer List.
(2) Select the print job to delete and click  .
The print jobs are deleted.
The printer is not ready. Check if the  POWER lamp is lit green.
If the  POWER  lamp is off, turn the printer on.
While the  POWER lamp is flashing green, the printer is initializing. Wait until the 
POWER  lamp stops flashing and remains lit green.
NoteWhen printing large data such as a photo or graphics, it may take longer to start 
printing. While the  POWER lamp is flashing green, the computer is processing 
data and sending them to the printer. Wait until printing starts. 
						

							60Troubleshooting
Printer Moves But Ink Is Not Ejected
CauseAction
Print Head nozzles are clogged. Print the nozzle check pattern to check for uneven ink output.
For details on how to print the nozzle check pattern, how to clean the Print 
Head, and how to perform Print Head Deep Cleaning, see “When Printing 
Becomes Faint or Colors Are Incorrect” on page 29.
zIf the nozzle check pattern does not print out properly
Check if any of the missing colors are due to empty tanks.
If there is plenty of ink and the printer does not print, clean the Print Head 
and then print the nozzle check pattern to check that ink is ejecting properly.
z If the problem is not resolved after performing Print Head Cleaning 
twice
Perform Print Head Deep Cleaning.
If the problem is not resolved after performing Print Head Deep Cleaning, 
turn off the printer and perform Print Head Deep Cleaning again after 24 
hours or later.
z If the problem is still not resolved after performing Print Head Deep 
Cleaning twice
The Print Head may be damaged. Contact your Canon Service 
representative.
Ink tank is empty. Open the Top Cover of the printer to confirm how the ink lamps light or flash,  and then take the appropriate action depending on the error condition. For 
details, see “Getting the Ink Status Information” on page 23.
The protective film is remaining. Make sure all of the protective film is peeled off and the air hole is exposed, as  illustrated in (A). If the orange tape is left as in (B), pull the orange tape and 
remove it.
(A) Correct
L-shaped air hole is exposed.
(B) Incorrect
The tape is not peeled off.
(B)
(A) 
						

							61
Troubleshooting
Paper Does Not Feed Properly
Paper Does Not Feed  from the Paper Source 
Specified in the Printer Driver
CauseAction
Printing on inappropriate type of paper. Check to see if the paper you are printing on is not too thick or curled.
See “Loading Printing Paper” on page 4 and make sure that the paper you are 
using is suitable.
Paper Feed Roller is dirty. Clean the Paper Feed Roller. Cleaning the Paper Feed Roller will wear the  roller, so perform this procedure only when necessary.
For details on cleaning, see “Cleaning the Paper Feed Roller (Roller Cleaning)” 
on page 44.
Paper not loaded properly. Make sure of the following when you load paper in the printer. zWhen loading two or more sheets of paper, align the edges of the sheets 
before loading.
z Always load the paper in portrait orientation, either in the Rear Tray or the 
Front Tray, regardless of the printing orientation.
z When loading paper in the Rear Tray, load the paper with the print side facing 
UP. Align the right edge of the paper stack against the Cover Guide and slide 
the Paper Guide so that it just touches the left edge of the stack.
z When loading paper in the Front Tray, load the paper with the print side 
facing DOWN. Align the right edge of the paper stack against the right edge 
of the Front Tray. Pinch the Paper Guide and slide it until it lightly touches the 
left side of the loaded paper stack. If the Paper Guide is pressed too firmly 
against the side of the loaded paper, the paper may bend and not feed 
properly.
z When loading paper in the Front Tray, make sure that the paper is not set 
over the protrusion of the Load Limit Mark on the Paper Guide.
For details on loading paper, see “Loading Paper” on page 10.
Paper source selection is 
inappropriate. z
You cannot load paper other than A4, Letter, or B5-sized plain paper in the 
Front Tray. When using any other type of paper, load it in the Rear Tray.
z In the printer driver, select the paper source where you loaded the paper for 
Paper Source . For details, see “Printing from Your Computer” on page 17.
Too much paper loaded. Make sure that the paper stack does not exceed the load limit. However, proper  feeding of paper may not be possible at this maximum capacity depending on 
the type of paper or environmental conditions (either very high or low 
temperature and humidity).
In such cases, reduce the sheets of paper you load at a time to around half.
For details on loading paper, see “Loading Paper” on page 10.
Rear Cover is not attached properly. If the Rear Cover is not reattached properly after it has been removed, it can  cause paper jams. Press firmly on the Rear Cover until it is fit squarely in the 
rear of the printer.
Refer to “Rear View” in the User’s Guide on-screen manual.
CauseAction
The paper source is specified in the 
data created by an application 
software. When the paper source setting is inconsistent between an application program 
and the printer driver, the application software setting takes precedence.
Change the application software setting corresponding to the printer driver 
setting, or click the 
Print Options on the Page Setup  sheet in the printer driver 
and select  Disable the paper source setting of the application software  on 
the  Print Options  screen.
For the print option setting, refer to the  PC Printing Guide on-screen manual. 
						

							62Troubleshooting
Paper Jams
CauseAction
Paper jammed in the Paper Output 
Slot, the Rear Tray, or the Front Tray. Remove the paper following the procedure below.
(1)
Slowly pull the paper out, either from a paper source or from the Paper 
Output Slot, whichever is easier.
(A) When feeding from the Rear Tray
(B) When feeding from the Front Tray
z If the paper tears and a piece remains inside the printer, open the Top Cover 
and remove it.
After removing all paper, close the Top Cover, turn the printer off, and turn it 
back on.
* Be careful not to touch the components inside the printer. 
z If you cannot pull the paper out, turn the printer off and turn it back on. The 
paper may be ejected automatically.
(2) Reload the paper in the printer, and press the  RESUME/CANCEL button on 
the printer.
If you turned off the printer in step 1, all print jobs in queue are canceled. 
Reprint if necessary.
Notez For details on how to load paper, see “Loading Printing Paper” on page 4.
z When reloading the paper in the printer, see “Paper Does Not Feed Properly” 
on page 61 to confirm that you are using the correct paper and are loading it 
into the printer correctly.
z A5-sized paper are suited to print documents consisting mainly of text. We do 
not recommend using such paper to print documents with photos or graphics, 
since the printout may curl and cause paper exit jams.
If you cannot remove the paper or the paper tears inside the printer, or if the 
paper jam error continues after removing the paper, contact your Canon Service 
representative.
Landscape credit card-sized paper 
jammed inside the printer. Do not load credit card-sized paper in the landscape orientation.
Slowly pull out the paper from the Rear Tray and remove it.
If you cannot remove the jammed paper or the paper jam error continues after 
removing the paper, contact your Canon Service representative.
(A) (B) 
						

							63
Troubleshooting
Paper jammed inside the printer at the 
transport unit. Remove the paper following the procedure below.
(1)
Hold the Rear Cover Lever and then press to the right and pull to remove the 
Rear Cover.
(2) If you can see the jammed paper, slowly pull the paper out.
z Be careful not to touch the components inside the printer.
z If you cannot pull the paper out, turn the printer off and turn it back on. The 
paper may be ejected automatically.
(3) Hold the Rear Cover so that the Rear Cover Lever comes to the left. Align the 
protrusions at the right edge of the cover with the slots at the rear of the 
printer and press on the lever to reattach the Rear Cover.
ImportantPress firmly on the Rear Cover until it is locked in place on the rear of the 
printer. If the Rear Cover is not reattached properly, paper may not be fed 
properly and cause paper jams.
(4)If you were not able to remove the paper out in step 2, remove it from the 
Front Tray.
See “Paper jammed in the Paper Output Slot, the Rear Tray, or the Front 
Tray.” on page 62.
(5) Reload the paper in the Front Tray and press the  RESUME/CANCEL button 
on the printer.
If you turned off the printer in step 2, all print jobs in queue are canceled. 
Reprint if necessary.
NoteWhen reloading the paper into the printer, see “Paper Does Not Feed Properly” 
on page 61 to confirm that you are using the correct paper and are loading it into 
the printer correctly.
If you cannot remove the paper or if the paper tears inside the printer, or if the 
paper jam error continues after removing the paper, contact your Canon Service 
representative.
CauseAction 
						

							64Troubleshooting
ALARM Lamp Flashes Orange
„ALARM Lamp Flashes Orange 
When a printer error occurs, the  ALARM lamp flashes orange as shown below. The number of 
flashes indicates the type of error that has oc curred. Count the flashes and take the appropriate 
action to correct the error.
CauseAction
Two flashes: Printer is out of paper. /
Paper does not feed. Reload paper in the Rear Tray or Front Tray and press the 
RESUME/CANCEL 
button.
Three flashes: Paper jam. The paper may be jammed. Remove the jammed paper, reload paper properly  in the printer, and then press the RESUME/CANCEL button. See “Paper Jams” 
on page 62.
Four Flashes: Ink tank is not installed 
properly. / Ink may have run out. Possible causes are as follows:
z
If the lamp on the ink tank is not lit, the ink tank may not be installed properly. 
Install an appropriate ink tank. 
z If the lamp on the ink tank is flashing, ink may have run out.
Replacing the ink tank is recommended.
If printing is in progress and you want to continue printing, press the 
RESUME/CANCEL  button with the ink tank installed. Then printing can 
continue. Replacing the ink tank is recommended after the printing. The 
printer may be damaged if printing is continued under the ink out condition.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
NoteIf multiple ink lamps are flashing, see “Getting the Ink Status Information” on 
page 23 and confirm the status of each ink tank.
Five flashes: Print Head is not installed. 
/ Print Head is defective. Follow the directions given in your setup sheet to install the Print Head.
If the Print Head is already installed, remove the Print Head once and then 
reinstall it.
If the error is still not resolved, the Print Head may be damaged. Contact your 
Canon Service representative.
Seven Flashes: Ink tank is not installed 
in the correct position. Possible causes are as follows:
z
Some ink tanks are not installed in the correct position. (The lamps on the ink 
tanks flash.)
z More than one ink tanks of the same color are installed. (The lamps on the 
ink tanks flash.)
Confirm that the ink tanks are installed in the appropriate positions.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
Eight flashes: Ink absorber is almost 
full. The printer has a built-in ink absorber to hold the ink used during Print Head 
Cleaning, for example.
Eight flashes indicates that the ink absorber is nearly full.
Press the 
RESUME/CANCEL  button to cancel the error so you can continue 
printing.
Before the ink absorber becomes completely full, contact a Canon Service 
representative. (You will need to replace a particular part of the printer.)
ImportantCanon recommends that you call for service as soon as this error occurs. Once 
the ink absorber becomes completely full, printing cannot be performed until the 
ink absorber is replaced.
Note the number of flashes Repeats 
						

							65
Troubleshooting
„ POWER Lamp Flashes Green and ALARM Lamp Flashes Orange 
Alternately
If the  POWER  and ALARM  lamps flash alternately, disconnect the printer cable from the printer, turn the printer off, and then 
unplug the printer from the power supply. Plug the printer back in and turn the printer back on after leaving it for a while.
If the problem is not resolved, contact your Canon Service representative. Nine flashes: No response from 
connected digital camera or video 
camcorder. / Connected digital camera 
or video camcorder is not compatible 
with this printer.
Disconnect the USB cable connecting the printer and the device, and then 
reconnect it.
When printing from a PictBridge compliant device, depending on the model or 
brand of your device, you may have to select a PictBridge compliant print mode\
 
on the device before connecting it to the printer. You may also have to turn on 
the camera or select Play mode manually after connecting the device to the 
printer. Perform necessary operations according your device’s instruction 
manual before reconnecting it to the printer.
If the error is still not resolved, there is a possibility that you are using a digital 
camera or digital video camcorder that is not supported by this printer. Only 
PictBridge compliant devices can be connected to the printer for direct printing.
Thirteen Flashes: Ink level cannot be 
detected. The remaining ink level cannot be correctly detected. (The lamp on the ink tank 
flashes.)
Replace the ink tank and close the Top Cover.
Printing with an ink tank that was once empty may damage the printer.
If you want to continue printing in this condition, you need to release the function 
for detecting the remaining ink level. Press and hold the 
RESUME/CANCEL 
button for at least 5 seconds, and then release it.
* With this operation, releasing the function for detecting the remaining ink level  is memorized. Please be advised that Canon shall not be liable for any printer 
malfunction or damage caused by refilled ink tanks.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
NoteIf the function for detecting the remaining in level is disabled, the ink tank is 
displayed in gray on the printer status monitor (Windows) and  Canon IJ Printer 
Utility  (Macintosh). See “With the Computer Screen” on page 24.
Fourteen Flashes: Ink tank cannot be 
recognized. The ink tank is not compatible with this printer. (The lamp on the ink tank is off.) 
Install an appropriate ink tank.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
Fifteen Flashes: Ink tank cannot be 
recognized. An Ink tank error has occurred. (The lamp on the ink tank is off.)
Replace the ink tank.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
Sixteen Flashes: Ink has run out. Ink has run out. (The lamp on the ink tank flashes.) Replace the ink tank and close the Top Cover.
Printing under the current condition may damage the printer.
If you want to continue printing in this condition, you need to release the function 
for detecting the remaining ink level. Press and hold the  RESUME/CANCEL 
button for at least 5 seconds, and then release it.
* With this operation, releasing the function for detecting the remaining ink level  is memorized. Please be advised that Canon shall not be liable for any 
malfunction or trouble which may be caused by continuation of printing under 
the ink out condition.
See “Replacing an Ink Tank” on page 23.
NoteIf the function for detecting the remaining in level is disabled, the ink tank is 
displayed in gray on the printer status monitor (Windows) and  Canon IJ Printer 
Utility  (Macintosh). See “With the Computer Screen” on page 24.
Nineteen Flashes: An unsupported 
USB hub is connected. Remove the 
hub. If a PictBridge compliant device is connected via a USB hub, remove the hub 
and connect it directly to the printer.
CauseAction 
						

							66Troubleshooting
Error Message Appears on  the Computer Screen
„Writing Error/Output E rror/Communication Error
CauseAction
The printer is not ready. Confirm that the  POWER lamp is lit green.
If the  POWER  lamp is off, turn the printer on.
While the  POWER lamp is flashing green, the printer is initializing. Wait until the 
POWER  lamp stops flashing and remains lit green. 
If the  ALARM  lamp is flashing orange, an error may have occurred in the 
printer. For details on how to resolve the error, see “ALARM Lamp Flashes 
Orange” on page 64.
Printer port setting does not match the 
computer’s interface connecting the 
printer. Check the printer port settings.
* In the following instruction, “
XXX” signifies your printer’s name.
(1) Log on as a user account with administrator privilege.
(2) Click  Control Panel , then Printer  under Hardware and Sound .
In Windows XP, click  Control Panel, Printers and Other Hardware , then 
Printers and Faxes .
In Windows 2000, click  Control Panel then Printers .
(3) Right-click the  Canon XXX icon, then select  Properties.
(4) Click the  Ports tab to confirm the port settings.
Make sure that a port named  USBnnn (where “n” is a number) with  Canon 
XXX  appearing in the  Printer column is selected for  Print to the following 
port(s) .
If the port setting is not correct, reinstall the Printer Drivers or change the port 
setting according to the interface you are using.
The printer is not connected properly. Make sure that the USB cable is securely plugged in to the printer and the  computer.
zIf you are using a relay device such as a USB hub, disconnect it, connect the 
printer directly to the computer, and try printing again. If printing starts 
normally, there is a problem with the relay device.
Consult the reseller of the relay device for details.
z There could also be a problem with the USB cable. Replace the USB cable 
and try printing again.
Printer driver is not installed properly. The printer driver may not be installed properly. Uninstall them following the  procedure described in the PC Printing Guide on-screen manual and reinstall 
them following the procedure described in your setup sheet.