Printer Repeatedly Prompts "Replace Printhead"

Posted by Tim Wert on Aug 25, 2026

Question:

"Hi,
I recently did my second belt replacement on my T1100 (both belts from LPS as they appear to be the only ones with the guide ribs). The first time everything went well. This time, the machine keeps insisting on a printhead replacement.

I've tried the printhead recovery kit (and changed printheads), and ink readily flows through the tubing into the printhead carousel. But the system keeps failing the first printhead, telling me to reseat/replace it. I do this, it moves to the service station, and fails again.

Is there anything else I could have mis-reconnected? the cable and ink tubes look fine (and ink flows through the tubes).

I'm not getting any other error codes but that's partly because I can't get past the printhead screen.

If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Obviously this is an older printer but up until it shredded its belt it's been really nice.
Thanks,
D.H."

Answer:

There are many possible reasons the machine isn't completing the "preparing print system" cycle. You've already purged the ink tube system, and cleaned the printheads, so the next component I suspect is the ink cartridges.

If the printer thinks one of the cartridges doesn't have enough ink, it will cancel the preparing print system cycle, and not tell you why. Try putting a strip of painter's tape (masking tape) over the bottom portion of each ink cartridge, covering over the black oval pressure pump that's integrated on the cartridge.

This will cause additional mechanical resistance to the motorized pistons in the ink supply station when they move to pressurize the ink cartridges. This will trick the printer's logic into thinking the cartridges are fuller than they actually are. See if that gets you farther.

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