Epson "ink pad at the end of its service life": what it means and what to do

Every time an inkjet printer cleans its print head, it flushes out a little ink. That waste ink goes into absorbent pads inside the printer, or into a replaceable maintenance box on newer models. When the pads reach their capacity, the printer stops printing so that ink can't overflow and leak inside the machine or onto your desk.

The message usually appears after a printer has done a lot of printing and cleaning. Running many head cleanings to fix faint prints fills the pads faster.

• "The maintenance box is at the end of its service life" or "Time to replace the maintenance box": this is a user-replaceable part on models that have one. Buy a genuine Epson maintenance box for your model and swap it as the manual describes. Epson's L3350 manual lists code C9398 (C9399 in India). Scanning still works while it's full.
• "The printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life", "Parts inside your printer are at the end of their service life" or "Service required": these are sealed pads inside the printer. Epson says this is not a user-serviceable repair and to contact Epson; Epson US also mentions certified local technicians.

Some models have both. Epson's L3350 manual describes a user-replaceable maintenance box and separate internal and borderless ink pads, which only a service centre can replace. So on an L3350, the message is only a do-it-yourself fix if it names the maintenance box.

According to Epson's manuals:

• With a user-replaceable maintenance box: L3350, L3550, L8050, L6490 and L6460.
• Sealed ink pads only: L3250, L3210, and the L3260 (which shows codes E-11, W-11 and E-12 for its pads).

This is one of the practical reasons the newer L3350 is worth considering over the L3250: when its maintenance box fills, you can replace it yourself.

You'll see software sold online that resets the printer's ink pad counter so it starts printing again. Epson doesn't endorse this. Resetting the counter doesn't empty the pads; Epson says the stop exists to prevent ink leaks, and a saturated pad can leak ink inside the printer and cause damage. If a technician offers a reset, ask whether they're actually replacing the pads.

Get a quote for replacing the pads and compare it with the price of a new printer; popular EcoTanks are relatively inexpensive, and Epson's warranty terms for pad replacement vary by region, so ask the seller or service centre what applies in Ghana. If you're buying new, our ink tank printer comparison and current printer prices will help.