← All guides
Advanced · 6 minError codes

Understand the 5B00 waste ink error

5B00 (also 5B01) means the internal waste ink counter is full. It is a counter, not a breakage — but it needs a service reset, not a home fix.

01 · Identify — does this match what you see?

  • “5B00” or “Support Code 5B00”
  • Printer refuses every job
  • Both lamps flash on power-up

02 · Resolve — follow in order

  1. 1

    Note the exact code shown — 5B00, 5B01 and 5B02 all point at the absorber counter.

  2. 2

    Power off and on once; if the code persists it is latched and will not clear by itself.

  3. 3

    Check the age and page count of the printer. Most PIXMA models reach this after several thousand pages.

  4. 4

    Contact a Canon service centre for an absorber replacement and counter reset — the pad genuinely holds waste ink and can overflow.

  5. 5

    Compare the quoted service cost against a replacement printer before deciding.

Pro tip

Frequent deep cleaning cycles fill the absorber much faster. Use nozzle checks first and deep clean only when needed.

03 · Applies to

PIXMA iP2702PIXMA MG2522PIXMA MX492PIXMA TS3122

Related fixes