If your Canon MP497 suddenly refuses to print and shows a maintenance or service warning, the ink absorber counter may have reached its limit.

Inside Canon printers, absorber pads collect excess ink from cleaning and maintenance cycles. The printer uses an internal counter to estimate pad saturation.

This page is prepared for Canon MP497. Service mode instructions are shown only when a matching series procedure is known.

Reset the Ink Absorber Counter

Completing the reset clears the internal ink absorber counter stored in printer memory and restores normal operation.

Maintenance Reminder

If absorber pads are truly saturated, ignoring maintenance can lead to ink leakage inside the printer. The counter reset only removes the software lock.

Download & get started

Use a reliable USB connection and follow the steps in order.

Troubleshooting

• Repeat the service mode steps carefully (timing matters).
• Power-cycle the printer and try again.
• Close other Canon printer utilities while resetting.
• Use the correct Stop/Reset press count for your series.
• Try a different USB cable/port if using PC software.