If your Canon MX491 suddenly refuses to print and shows a maintenance or service warning, the ink absorber counter may have reached its limit.

Ink absorber pads store waste ink during normal operation. Canon firmware tracks this using a software counter and may stop printing when it reaches the limit.

This page is prepared for Canon MX491. Service mode instructions are shown only when a matching series procedure is known.

What You May Notice

• Service / maintenance warning on the screen or driver
• Printer refuses to print even with ink available
• Blinking lights and queued jobs fail
• Error reappears after restart

Clear the Ink Absorber / Waste Ink Counter

Once the counter is cleared, Canon MX491 should exit the locked state and printing should resume normally.

Warnings

Resetting the counter does not physically clean the absorber pads. For heavy usage, pads may eventually need cleaning or replacement.

Reset tools and instructions

For best results, avoid rushing button presses—consistent timing matters.

Troubleshooting

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

FAQ