Epson E-01: printer error on small-panel models

What causes it

• Paper or a foreign object obstructing the carriage
• The print head stuck to the capping station after long disuse
• Transport locks or tape left on a new machine
• Waste ink pads at their limit
• Carriage motor, drive or main 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.

1. Fully drain the printer

   Switch off with the power button, unplug at both ends, hold the power button for 30 seconds and leave the machine for at least five minutes. Reconnect and power on. On these compact models a genuine one-off stall clears here reasonably often, and it costs nothing to try before opening anything.

2. Open the front cover and inspect the carriage

   Open the printer's front output cover and look at the print head carriage. With the power off it moves freely, so slide it gently across its full travel and look underneath for paper, foam, tape or debris. Remove anything found, pulling paper in the direction it was travelling rather than upwards.

3. Check for shipping locks on a new printer

   If this is the first power-up, check for blue or orange tape and plastic locks around the carriage, in the rear feeder and behind any covers. On EcoTank L models also confirm the ink lock lever on the tank unit is set to the printing position, not the transport position, because the head cannot draw ink or move properly otherwise.

4. Free a head stuck to the cap

   If the carriage will not move at all and nothing is obstructing it, the head is likely bonded to the rubber capping pad on the right. Put a few millilitres of warm distilled water into the cap, leave it for fifteen minutes and try sliding the carriage again with steady even pressure rather than a sharp shove.

5. Check the ink pad counter

   Connect the printer to a Windows PC by USB and open Epson Status Monitor 3, which reports the maintenance status. A printer whose pads have reached their limit stops with an error, and on some models that presents as a hard error rather than the usual pad-specific message.

6. Reseat the cartridges or verify tank levels

   On cartridge models, remove and refit each cartridge until it clicks and clean the chips with a dry cloth. On EcoTank L models, look at the tank windows and top up anything below the lower line, because a tank run completely dry pulls air into the head and can stall the servicing routine.

7. Judge by whether anything moves

   Restart and watch. A carriage that attempts to move but stops short is a mechanical problem you can keep chasing. A printer that shows E-01 instantly with no movement at all, after a full drain and with a clear path, has an electronic fault and is at the end of its economic life.

Printers that show this code

Frequently asked questions