Canon Pixma Printer F22 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

On Canon Pixma printers, F22 usually means a print-head carriage movement fault.

Plain English: the print head is supposed to slide smoothly left-right, but the printer thinks it is jammed, blocked, or out of position, so it shuts down and throws F22.

Official Fix

Canon’s official playbook is basically: power reset, clear jams, reseat parts, then service call if it still complains. Do this first:

  • 1. Kill the power properly
    • Turn the printer off with the power button.
    • Unplug it from the wall for at least 60 seconds.
    • While it is unplugged, do not force anything yet.
  • 2. Open it up and hunt for obstructions
    • Open the top cover so you can see the ink carriage area.
    • Look along the full travel path where the print head slides.
    • Pull out any scraps of paper, labels, plastic, pen caps, LEGO pieces — yes, all of it shows up in there.
    • Check the rear feed / rear door (if your model has it) for crumpled or half-fed paper.
  • 3. Reseat ink and print head (if removable)
    • With power still unplugged, pop the ink tanks out one by one.
    • If your model has a separate print head assembly, unlock it and gently lift it, then set it back in and lock it.
    • Reinstall the inks firmly until they click. No wobbly cartridges.
    • Close all covers fully; half-closed lids can also trigger carriage errors on some models.
  • 4. Check the paper path end-to-end
    • Remove any paper in the tray.
    • Look inside the feed rollers and under any rear door / duplex flap.
    • Pull out all bent, torn, or folded sheets. Even a tiny corner left inside can trigger F22.
  • 5. Power it back up and test
    • Plug the printer back in.
    • Turn it on and listen when it starts: you should hear the carriage move smoothly side to side.
    • From the printer menu or driver, run a Nozzle Check / Test Print.
    • If it boots cleanly and prints, you’re done.
  • 6. What Canon says if F22 stays
    • If F22 comes back after the above, Canon’s official answer is: mechanical fault — have it serviced by an authorized center.
    • In their world, that usually means replacing the carriage unit / print head / drive parts, not something they expect end-users to do.

The Technician’s Trick

If the official steps didn’t kill F22, this is the kind of stuff a bench tech actually does. You’re doing this at your own risk, but it’s how a lot of “dead” Pixmas get saved.

  • 1. Manually free the carriage
    • Unplug the printer again. No power while you do this.
    • Open the top so you can see the carriage (the part holding the inks).
    • With two fingers, gently slide the carriage left and right along its rail.
    • It should move smoothly. If it hits a hard stop, find exactly what’s blocking it — often a wad of paper hiding at one end.
  • 2. Clean the carriage rail
    • That shiny or chromed bar the carriage rides on can gum up.
    • Lightly dampen a lint-free cloth with isopropyl alcohol (not water).
    • Wipe the rail from end to end. Don’t soak it. Just remove old grease and ink mist.
    • Slide the carriage a few times by hand so it rides over the clean rail.
  • 3. Check the encoder strip (the clear tape)
    • Behind the carriage there’s usually a thin, clear or gray plastic strip running side to side.
    • If it’s oily, covered in ink, twisted, or popped out of its slots, the printer loses position and throws carriage errors like F22.
    • If it’s just dirty, gently wipe it with a barely-damp microfiber cloth (again, a bit of isopropyl alcohol only). Support it with a finger so you don’t bend it.
    • If it’s bent, snapped, or missing, the game is almost over: you’re into parts replacement territory.
  • 4. Check the drive belt
    • Look for the toothed rubber belt that connects the carriage to a motor.
    • Make sure it’s on the pulleys, not loose, not missing teeth, not shredded.
    • If it’s stripped or hanging, that’s a classic tech repair: replace the belt, reset the carriage, clear F22.
  • 5. Try a deep reset (service-style) — only if needed
    • Different Pixma models use different button combos, but a common pattern is:
      Hold Power, press Stop/Cancel 5 times, then release Power.
    • This can force a deeper internal reset and re-home the carriage on some units.
    • If your model’s service manual (or a reliable source) lists a specific combo, use that one instead.
    • If you’re not comfortable poking at service modes, skip this step. The mechanical stuff above fixes more F22s than fancy resets.
  • 6. Final test
    • Reassemble anything you opened, close all covers.
    • Plug in, power on.
    • If the carriage now glides smoothly and the printer initializes without F22, run a test print and you’re back in business.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: The printer is under warranty or only a few years old, F22 started after a clear jam, and you don’t see broken belts/strips — do the cleaning/freeing steps and keep it.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Mid-age Pixma, out of warranty, still in good shape otherwise, but it needs a carriage belt or encoder strip — worth it only if you’re handy or have cheap local repair.
  • ❌ Replace: Old budget Pixma, F22 plus loud grinding, cracked plastic, damaged encoder strip or carriage, and parts + labor would cost more than a new printer — don’t sink money, upgrade instead.

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