How to Solve Cartridge Color Mixing and Printing Issues After Upgrading (Canon 445 and 446 Cartridges)

Question:
I recently upgraded my Canon 445 and 446 cartridges using your refill kit, and initially, everything worked perfectly. However, about a week later, I started encountering issues. Specifically, the yellow ink rarely prints correctly, and the overall color output seems off—black backgrounds appear bluish, and colors seem mixed incorrectly despite being filled properly (yellow bottom right, red top middle, cyan bottom left). I've ensured there's no mixing within the cartridge as there are no gaps when turned upside down. I've tried soaking the cartridge in hot water, which caused ink leakage but didn't improve printing. Additionally, lines are visible in prints, and black ink occasionally shows inconsistency. I've already printed over 50 pages and done the alignment scan without improvement. I purchased two new XL cartridges as a backup in case the originals can't be fixed. Have you encountered this issue, and do you have any suggestions?

Answer:
Thank you so much for reaching out and detailing your experience thoroughly. I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you—I fully understand how urgent and frustrating printer issues can be. At BCH Technologies, we sincerely appreciate your active engagement and support, particularly regarding our YouTube channel. Your detailed feedback significantly helps us refine and expand our troubleshooting resources.

What Could Be Causing Your Issues?

Your description highlights two primary concerns: incorrect color output (including color mixing and inconsistency), and issues specifically with the yellow ink.

1. Color Mixing and Inconsistent Output

It's common for color contamination or mixing issues to arise when cartridge ink levels become significantly uneven. If the ink chambers have differential levels, this can inadvertently cause ink from one chamber to migrate slightly and contaminate another during printing, even though visibly they seem separate.

Solution:

• Balance the ink levels in all chambers as closely as possible. This can significantly reduce or eliminate unintended mixing.

• Ensure cartridges are not overfilled, which could contribute to ink migration.

2. Yellow Ink Not Printing Properly

Given your description, the nozzle check showing a completely missing top yellow bar indicates a deeper issue. The bottom bar being intact typically means that ink physically exists but cannot be properly ejected during normal printing.

We've discussed similar scenarios with Canon's support, and they confirmed that this usually signals an internal electronic failure within the cartridge itself. Essentially, the cartridge might have become worn out or electronically compromised, failing to eject ink under standard operating voltages.

Recommended Actions:

• Replace the affected cartridge entirely. Given that you've already purchased new XL cartridges, this approach is likely your best immediate solution.

• Consider refilling the new cartridges cautiously, ensuring even ink distribution to prevent future mixing issues.

• Avoid prolonged exposure of the cartridge contacts to moisture or liquids, as this might exacerbate electronic issues.

Addressing printer issues can indeed be complicated due to their physical and hands-on nature. Therefore, we're unable to offer direct remote troubleshooting or detailed repair guidance. However, we offer comprehensive in-person diagnostic and repair services at our local facility (Printer Repair Service). Due to high demand, our services operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and scheduling a drop-off may take a few weeks. Our service includes clear instructions for repairing either your entire printer or specific parts. We acknowledge that our service rates may not be the most economical option for everyone, so we strongly recommend exploring self-help resources online. Our extensive library of troubleshooting videos on our YouTube channel is a great starting point. You can conveniently search for specific topics using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the YouTube page. Given the vast amount of content we've created over the years, utilizing this search function is an efficient way to locate relevant solutions, and you might also discover helpful videos from other creators.

Thank you again for choosing BCH Technologies, and we genuinely appreciate your detailed feedback and support!