Canon error P10 (print head or logic board failure)
P10 is an electrical error on older PIXMA MP and MX printers indicating that a FINE cartridge failed its electrical check or the carriage board detected a short. Canon's documentation treats P10 as a fault requiring service, but in practice it is commonly caused by a cartridge that has run dry, been refilled badly, or has ink on its contacts, and replacing the cartridge resolves it.
What causes it
- A FINE cartridge with a burnt-out or shorted nozzle circuit, often after printing dry
- Ink on the cartridge or holder contacts
- A counterfeit or badly refilled cartridge
- Carriage flex cable damage
- Logic board failure
How to fix it, in order
Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.
Turn off and unplug for five minutes
Let the electronics discharge and the head cool before testing.
Remove both cartridges
Open the cover, lower the lock lever, take both cartridges out and inspect the contacts for ink. Clean with a dry lint-free cloth.
Power on with no cartridges
If the printer starts and shows a cartridge-missing code instead of P10, one of the cartridges is the cause.
Install one cartridge at a time
Fit the black cartridge alone and power on; then the colour alone. The cartridge that brings back P10 has an electrical fault.
Replace the faulty cartridge
Install a new genuine PG or CL cartridge of the correct number. The error should clear with the good cartridge installed.
Clean the holder contacts
If both cartridges cause P10, unplug the printer and clean the spring contacts in the holder with a dry swab, then test again with a new cartridge.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Frequently asked questions
Does P10 always mean the printer is dead?
No. Despite Canon listing it as a service error, it is usually a faulty cartridge. Test each cartridge separately before giving up on the printer.
Which cartridge causes P10 on an MP280?
Either can. The colour cartridge is a slightly more frequent culprit because it runs dry in one channel without the others being empty.
Is P10 the same as 5200 on newer printers?
They are closely related. Both come from a failed electrical check of the cartridge or head and respond to the same cartridge swap test.
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