Printer Says "Waste Ink Pad Full" or "Ink Tank Full"? We Can Fix It — £65 + VAT

If your Epson EcoTank or Canon inkjet printer has suddenly stopped printing and is showing a "Waste Ink Pad Full", "Ink Tank Full", "Ink Absorber Full" or "Service Required" error, you don't need to bin it. This is one of the most common printer faults we repair, and in most cases your printer can be back up and running the same day.

Common Error Messages We Fix

Printers don't always use exactly the same wording, so you may have seen one of these on your screen or printer display:

• "The waste ink pad is at the end of its service life"
• "Parts inside your printer are at the end of their service life"
• "Waste ink tank full"
• "Ink absorber is full or nearing full capacity"
• "A part inside the printer needs replacing" (Epson EcoTank)
• "Service required" with flashing power/error lights (Canon PIXMA)
• Canon support codes such as 5B00, 5B01, 1700, or P07
• Epson error codes relating to the maintenance box or waste ink pads

If you've seen any of the above on an Epson EcoTank, Epson WorkForce, Epson Expression, Canon PIXMA, or Canon MAXIFY printer, this is exactly what we deal with every day.

Why This Happens

Every inkjet printer — including EcoTank and other refillable-ink models — uses internal pads or a maintenance box to soak up excess ink released during automatic print-head cleaning cycles. Over time, and especially with frequent cleaning cycles, this waste ink reservoir reaches its counted limit. At that point the printer's internal software locks the machine to prevent ink overflow and stops it from printing altogether, even if you still have plenty of ink in the tanks or cartridges.

This isn't a fault you caused — it's a normal wear part reaching the end of its service life, much like a car needing a new oil filter. Left unaddressed, it can eventually lead to ink leaking inside the printer and causing further damage, which is why it's worth sorting promptly rather than continuing to try to force the printer to print.

Why Bring It To Us Rather Than Attempt It Yourself

We'd always recommend against downloading unofficial reset tools or third-party "counter reset" software found online. These don't address the underlying issue — the ink still has to go somewhere — and can mask a genuinely full pad until ink leaks internally, damaging electronics and the print mechanism beyond repair. We carry out a proper physical service: replacing or servicing the saturated pads/maintenance box and correctly resetting the internal counter, so the fix is safe and lasting rather than a temporary workaround.

Our Waste Ink Pad / Ink Tank Full Repair Service — £65 + VAT

For a fixed price of £65 + VAT, we will:

• Diagnose and confirm the waste ink pad / ink tank fault
• Replace or properly service the saturated waste ink pads or maintenance box
• Safely reset the internal waste ink counter
• Fully test the printer to make sure it's printing cleanly before it goes back to you

No hidden extras, no guesswork — just a fixed-price fix for one of the most common (and most misunderstood) printer faults.

Printers We Commonly Repair For This Fault

• Epson EcoTank (ET-2xxx, ET-3xxx, ET-4xxx, ET-8xxx series and more)
• Epson WorkForce and Expression printers
• Canon PIXMA (G-series, TS-series, MG-series)
• Canon MAXIFY printers

Not sure if your model is covered? Get in touch and let us know the make and model — we're happy to confirm before you book in.

Get Your Printer Fixed

Don't throw away a perfectly good printer over a full waste ink pad. [Contact us] or [book your repair] today and we'll get it sorted for £65 + VAT.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "waste ink pad full" actually mean? It means the internal pads or maintenance box that collect ink from your printer's cleaning cycles have reached their counted capacity, so the printer has locked itself to prevent ink overflow.

My ink tanks are still full — why has it stopped printing? The waste ink pad fault is separate from your ink levels. Even with full ink tanks or cartridges, the printer will lock out printing once the waste ink counter reaches its limit.

Is this covered by warranty? This is usually treated as a consumable/service item rather than a manufacturer defect, so it typically falls outside standard warranty cover — but we're happy to advise once we've seen your printer.

How long does the repair take? In most cases we can complete this repair within the same day, depending on parts availability for your specific model.

Can this happen again? It can, over time, with heavy use — but a proper pad replacement and counter reset (rather than a software-only reset) significantly extends the time before it recurs.