Why Does My Canon E3400 Show "Low Ink" After Refilling PG-275 and CL-276 Cartridges?

Question:
I have a Canon E3400 series printer, and I recently refilled the PG-275 and CL-276 cartridges. However, the Canon app still says the ink is low, and the "Color Ink" LED stays on constantly. It doesn't go away, and I'm not sure why.

Answer:

Now, regarding your Canon E3400 series issue: after refilling Canon PG-275, CL-276, PG-275XL, or CL-276XL cartridges, it's normal for the printer to continue showing a "low ink" warning and for the Color Ink LED to stay on. This behavior happens because Canon cartridges contain non-resettable ink level chips. Once the cartridge registers as "empty," refilling it with ink doesn't automatically reset that chip-the printer still believes it's empty.

In your case, this doesn't mean the cartridge is defective or that refilling failed. The ink is physically inside the cartridge, but the printer's software simply doesn't recognize it. You can continue printing, but you'll need to bypass the ink level warning.

Here's how to do that:

1. When you see the "Low Ink" or "Ink Has Run Out" message on the screen or app, press and hold the "Stop/Reset" button (the red triangle inside a circle) on your printer for about 5 seconds.

2. The warning should clear temporarily, and the printer will resume operation.

3. Keep in mind, however, that the ink level monitor will be disabled for that cartridge until you replace it with a new one. You'll need to manually keep track of your ink levels to avoid running dry and burning out the printhead.

Canon's E3400 series is designed to push users toward cartridge replacement instead of refilling, but refilling is still perfectly viable as long as you understand this limitation. For detailed step-by-step instructions, please refer to the third paragraph of our Canon cartridge troubleshooting guide (https://bchtechnologies.com/blog/faq-printer-is-not-working-canon-cartridge-pg210-cl211-pg243-cl244-pg245-cl246-pg240-cl241-xl-or-nonxl/).

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We do, however, offer an in-person evaluation and repair service at our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Because of high demand, our services operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before we can examine your printer. We can repair either the entire printer or specific components depending on your needs. That said, our rates may not be the most economical, so we also encourage exploring self-help options through online research. You can start by visiting our YouTube channel homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) and using the search icon next to the "About" tab to find videos relevant to your printer model. We've published hundreds of tutorials over the years, and using YouTube's built-in search feature is often the quickest way to find what you need.

Thank you again for contacting us and for being part of our growing community of knowledgeable printer users. Your curiosity and engagement help us keep improving our resources and expertise.