Member Avatar for Sen_4

HI :)) I just bought a canon pixma mp520 and also the new ink cartridges. The thing is the printer doesn't print anything except black texts. With the color texts, the printer just skipped straight to the next black ones. I tried cleaning and deep cleaning options already, did the nozzle check but the result came out only in the black ink option in perfect condition. Tried to print color and also black and white pictures, papers alway came out blank. I already checked the printing color option on the way out and all the other stuff. So i'm pretty stuck now. Thanks in advancec if you can help me with this

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Dani AI

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On the MP520, the symptoms you describe usually mean the color side of the print head is not delivering ink. This model uses two blacks: PGI-5BK (pigment) for text on plain paper and CLI-8BK (dye) with C/M/Y for photos and color. If black text prints but photos (even B&W) and all color swatches come out blank, and the nozzle check only shows the large PGBK grid, the dye BK/C/M/Y nozzles are not firing or not getting ink.

Try this, in order:

  • Verify all four color tanks are the correct CLI-8 C/M/Y and CLI-8BK, seated until they click, and that the orange cap is removed and the tiny air vent on top is fully open. A blocked vent will cause perfectly blank color output. Ensure the printer shows ink levels for each tank.
  • Reseat the print head: with power on, open the cover, lift the gray latch, remove the head, gently wipe the gold contacts with 90% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth, then reinstall firmly.
  • Run one Deep Cleaning for Color, wait 10–15 minutes, then run a Nozzle Check. Avoid repeated back-to-back cleanings.
  • Test on Plain Paper vs Photo Paper. If plain text prints but anything on photo media is blank, the dye channels are still out.

If the color grids remain missing after this, the head is likely defective. Given the cost of Canon heads versus the printer, an exchange with the vendor is typically the fastest fix. Canon’s maintenance steps and cartridge specs are in the model manual on Canon Support.

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Member Avatar for pty

Did you remove the tape/film from the new colour cartridge before you inserted it?

commented: I have made that mistake. "Doh!" +15
Member Avatar for Sen_4

I'm pretty sure I did. The thing is it seems like the printer just doesn't print or recognize the color cartridges at all. With the pattern check, the result was only for black ink which was on point. It didn't even print any faulty color lines or whatsoever

Member Avatar for happygeek

Sounding very much like a 'return to vendor and exchange for one that isn't broken' scenario to me. Why waste your valuable time trying to make something work that you've just bought, and which should be working out of the box?

Member Avatar for ByakkoChan

If it's not telling you to change the cartridge, it probably does recognize them as being present. And if it's not printing colour even in the test patterns, you could have a faulty printer head which, in Canons, is usually not a part of the cartridge. It's an expensive part, worth more than the cost of the printer usually. Better to take it back to the vendor for a replacement, rather than getting the part replaced under warranty, which could result in you getting a refurbished part.

Member Avatar for aiguy

Open your printer driver's Properties dialog and look for a color option that uses black only. Uncheck it or select an option that enables color. Some color printers have different resolutions for color and black-and-white (usually higher resolution in black-and-white).

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