Canon 5B00 Error: What It Means and What You Can Do
Support code 5B00 (often shown as P07 on the printer’s LCD, or as alternating orange and green flashes on models without a screen) stops the printer completely. It is not a jam and not a cartridge problem, and a normal restart will not clear it. Here is what is actually going on and the options you have.
In This Guide
What 5B00 and 5B01 Mean
Every time an inkjet cleans its print head, some ink is pumped into an absorber inside the printer. The printer keeps a count of how much has gone in. When the count reaches the limit, it stops printing so ink does not overflow onto your desk or the electronics. Canon lists the absorber as a part that needs replacing by a service center.
| Model family (examples) | LCD shows | Support code | Canon’s instruction |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIXMA TS3300 series (TS3320, TS3322) | P07 | 5B00, 5B01 | Turn off, unplug, plug in and turn on. If not resolved, contact service center |
| PIXMA TS3500 series (TS3520, TS3522) | P07 | 5B00, 5B01 | Same as above |
| G2010 / G3010 MegaTank | P07 | 5B00, 5B01 | Same as above |
| Models without an LCD (e.g. MG3600 series) | Power and Alarm lamps flash alternately (count the flashes) | 5B00, 5B01 | Check the code in the Canon manual for your model, then contact service |
What to Try First (Canon’s Steps)
- Turn the printer off with the power button.
- Unplug the power cord from the wall and wait a minute.
- Plug it back in and turn the printer on.
- If P07 / 5B00 is still shown, the absorber counter is genuinely at its limit. Further restarts will not change it.
Your Options Compared
| Option | Cost / effort | Risk | Our view |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon service center repair (absorber replaced, counter reset) | Paid if out of warranty; ship or drop off | Lowest | Best for newer or expensive printers, especially MegaTank models |
| Canon warranty or upgrade/replacement offer | Check your warranty date first | Low | Always check before paying for anything |
| Replace the printer | Cost of a new printer | None | Often cheaper than repair for a basic PIXMA |
| Third-party reset software or service-mode button sequences | Cheap | High: the counter is reset but the full pad is not replaced, so ink can overflow; may void warranty | We do not recommend it |
About "5B00 Reset" Tools and Button Tricks
Many pages ranking for this error sell reset keys or list service-mode button sequences. We do not link them, for three reasons:
- Resetting the counter does not empty or replace the absorber. The pad is still full, and the printer no longer protects against overflow.
- The software is not from Canon. Downloads offered on these sites are a common source of unwanted software.
- Canon’s manuals do not document a user-level reset for this error; they direct you to a service center.
How to Avoid Hitting 5B00 Early
- Do not run cleaning or deep cleaning repeatedly "just in case". Each cycle sends ink to the absorber. Print a nozzle check first and clean only if it shows gaps.
- Print something at least once a week so the nozzles do not dry and need heavy cleaning.
- Turn the printer off with the power button rather than at the wall so the print head is capped properly.
For print-quality problems that tempt you to clean repeatedly, see has ink but won’t print and printing blank pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
- It means the ink absorber, which collects waste ink from print head cleaning, is full or has reached its counter limit. The printer stops printing to prevent ink overflowing.
- Canon’s only user step is to turn the printer off, unplug it, plug it back in and turn it on. If the error remains, Canon says the printer needs service. Third-party reset tools only reset the counter and leave the full absorber in place.
- Canon lists both under the same "printer error" with the same instruction. They refer to the ink absorber limit; which one appears depends on the model and which absorber area is full.
- On models with a small LCD such as the TS3300, TS3500, G2010 and G3010 series, Canon lists P07 together with support codes 5B00 and 5B01.
- For an inexpensive PIXMA that is out of warranty, a replacement printer is often cheaper than a service repair. For a MegaTank or business model, ask a Canon service center for a quote.
Sources checked for this guide: Canon online manuals "An Error Occurs" for the G2010, G3010, TS3300 and TS3500 series. Button names, menus and codes can differ between models and firmware versions, so check your own model's manual at ij.manual.canon if something does not match.