Canon support code 5B01, 5B02, 5B10, 5B12 (ink absorber full)
The 5B0x and 5B1x support codes mean the ink absorber has reached its rated capacity and the printer has locked itself to prevent waste ink leaking. 5B00 and 5B01 are the main absorber; 5B02 and 5B12 refer to a second absorber or the platen absorber on some models; 5B10 appears on the same condition on certain TS and G series printers. The printer will not print, scan or copy until the counter is reset by a technician or the service tool.
What causes it
- Years of cleaning cycles filling the absorber with waste ink
- Repeated deep cleaning to fix clogs
- Heavy borderless photo printing
- Frequent power-offs at the wall forcing a cleaning cycle at every start
- On refillable G-series printers, many system cleanings after refilling
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.
Confirm the code on the display or in the app
The code appears with 'Ink absorber is full' or 'Printer error has occurred'. If you see 1700 instead, the absorber is not yet full and you can press OK.
Decide between service, DIY reset, or replacement
Canon will replace the absorber and reset the counter for a fixed fee. For a low-cost PIXMA that fee is often close to the printer's price. A DIY pad clean plus counter reset is possible on most models.
Replace or wash the absorber pads
Unplug the printer. On most PIXMA MG and TS models the pads are under the bottom cover or accessible from the back. Remove them, wash them in warm water until clear, dry them completely (a day or more), and refit. Some models also have a small pad under the purge unit on the right side.
Enter service mode
With the printer off, hold Stop or Resume, press and hold Power, release Stop, press Stop five times (six on some TS models), then release Power. The display goes blank or shows 0 and the power light stays on, indicating service mode.
Reset the counter with the service tool
Connect the printer by USB to a Windows PC and run the Canon service tool version that supports your model. Click Set under Clear Ink Counter for the Main absorber (and Platen if present). The tool reports a result, then turn the printer off and on.
Confirm the reset
After restart the error should be gone. Print a nozzle check. If 5B00 returns immediately, the reset did not apply; repeat with a different service tool version.
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
What is the difference between 5B00 and 5B02?
5B00 and 5B01 refer to the main ink absorber. 5B02 and 5B12 refer to a secondary absorber, often the platen pad used during borderless printing. All require a service reset.
Can I use the printer just for scanning with 5B02?
No. The printer treats it as a fatal error and blocks scanning as well as printing.
Is the service tool safe to use?
It works when used with the correct printer model in service mode. Using the wrong version can simply fail to reset; it rarely damages the printer, but it does not clean the pads.
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