Epson writes these codes as 0x followed by two characters, digits 0 to 9 and letters A to F, for example 0xEA or 0xF1. In the manual, codes beginning with E mostly belong to the carriage, F to the paper feed and D to the second cassette pickup, while the low codes up to 0x4E belong to the scanner and document feeder. Write the code down exactly as it appears.
Before you call
- Write down the code and what the printer was doing when it stopped.
- Switch the printer off. Open the scanner unit or printer cover and look for jammed paper, a torn scrap, or anything caught in the carriage path. Remove it gently and do not force the carriage by hand.
- Switch back on and let the printer finish starting up.
- If the same code comes back, stop there. Call us with the code and the model, and the technician will bring the parts it points to.
Epson codes by family
- 0x01 to 0x0E
- 0x10 to 0x4E and 0x8D
- 0x60 to 0x6B
- 0x81 to 0x9E
- 0xB0 to 0xCF
- 0xD1 to 0xDF
- 0xE1 to 0xEF
- 0xF1 to 0xFF
0x01 to 0x0E: document feeder drive
The ADF motor and its encoder, on multifunction models.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0x01, 0x02, 0x09, 0x0A | The ADF motor ran too fast or turned backwards. Usually a dirty or loose encoder scale, the encoder board, or a jam. | A technician |
| 0x03, 0x04, 0x0B | The ADF motor locked or could not get up to speed. A jam, the encoder, or the ADF motor. | A technician |
| 0x05, 0x0D | The ADF drive was overloaded, often by a jammed original or a foreign object. | A technician |
| 0x06, 0x0E | The ADF drive took too long to finish its movement. A loose cable or the main board. | A technician |
0x10 to 0x4E and 0x8D: scanner
The scanner carriage, its CIS unit and light, and the scanner drive.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0x10 | The scanner could not find its home position. The CIS unit, the scanner housing or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x11, 0x12, 0x13 | The scanner carriage travelled further than expected while finding its reference point. The CIS unit, scanner motor or its cable. | A technician |
| 0x14 | The scanner drive was overloaded. | A technician |
| 0x20 | The scanner's LED light failed. The CIS unit or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x36 | A paper jam error in the scanning path. Check for a stuck original or foreign object. | A technician |
| 0x41 to 0x4E | The scanner drive motor ran too fast, reversed, locked, was overloaded or took too long. Encoder, motor, cable or lubrication. | A technician |
| 0x8D | The printer stopped because of a fault outside the print mechanism, such as the scanner or document feeder. | A technician |
0x60 to 0x6B: carriage position, platen gap and ink system
The carriage finding home, the mechanism that sets the gap between printhead and paper, and the ink system.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0x60 | The carriage could not find its home position. A jam, a foreign object, or a bent frame. | A technician |
| 0x63 | The carriage hit an obstruction while moving into place for an ink change. A jam, a foreign object, or a bent frame. | A technician |
| 0x67, 0xEB, 0xEC | The platen gap mechanism did not reach its position, took too long, or ran too fast. The APG motor, sensor or drive gear. | A technician |
| 0x68, 0x69 | A fault while operating the ink system's valve or clutch. The ink system or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x6B | The paper feed roller ran away out of control. The PF encoder or the motor driver. | A technician |
0x81 to 0x9E: sensors, printhead and circuits
The PIS sensor the printer uses to detect ink, the paper edge sensor, the printhead, and the main board.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0x81, 0x83, 0x88, 0x89 | The PIS sensor read too much stray light, no reflection, or too much or too little light. Room light, a dirty sensor, or the sensor itself. | A technician |
| 0x82, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86 | The PIS sensor reading was stuck, out of line or could not be calculated. The sensor or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x8E | An unsupported print driver was used. Install the correct Epson driver and print again. | A restart may clear it |
| 0x93 | The paper edge sensor failed. The PE sensor or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x97 | Over voltage in the printhead drive circuit. The head cable or the main board. | A technician |
| 0x9A, 0x9B | A circuit error, including a blown fuse, or a drive transistor overheating. | A technician |
| 0x9C, 0x9D, 0x9E | The printhead reported a heat or temperature fault, before printing or after a flush. The printhead or the main board. | A technician |
0xB0 to 0xCF: ink cartridges
Reading the ink cartridges through their contacts on the carriage.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0xB0 to 0xCF | Ink device error. The printer could not communicate with an ink cartridge. The cartridge, its contacts on the carriage, or the main board. | A technician |
0xD1 to 0xDF: second cassette pickup
The ASF drive that picks paper from the second cassette, on models that have one.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0xD1, 0xD4, 0xD6, 0xDA | The pickup drive was overloaded or locked. A jam or foreign object at the second cassette pickup roller, the encoder, or the motor. | A technician |
| 0xD2, 0xD3, 0xD8, 0xD9 | The pickup drive ran too fast or turned backwards. A dirty or loose encoder scale, or a jam. | A technician |
| 0xDE, 0xDF | The pickup drive took too long to finish its movement. Usually the main board. | A technician |
0xE1 to 0xEF: carriage
The CR unit that carries the printhead across the page, its motor, belt and encoder.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0xE1, 0xE4, 0xEA | The carriage was overloaded or locked. Paper or a foreign object in its path, the CR motor, the encoder or a cable. | A technician |
| 0xE2, 0xE9 | The carriage ran too fast. The CR timing belt has slipped a tooth or lost tension, or the encoder scale is dirty. | A technician |
| 0xE3, 0xE5, 0xE8 | The carriage turned back or slowed unexpectedly. The timing belt, the encoder, or a jam. | A technician |
| 0xEE, 0xEF | The carriage took too long to finish its movement. Usually the main board. | A technician |
0xF1 to 0xFF: paper feed
The PF motor, belt and encoder that move paper under the printhead.
| Code | What it means | Who clears it |
|---|---|---|
| 0xF1, 0xF4, 0xFA | The paper feed drive was overloaded or locked. A jam or foreign object, the PF motor, the encoder or a cable. | A technician |
| 0xF2, 0xF9 | The paper feed ran too fast. The PF timing belt has slipped or lost tension, or the encoder scale is dirty. | A technician |
| 0xF3, 0xF8 | The paper feed turned backwards unexpectedly. The timing belt, the encoder, or a jam. | A technician |
| 0xFE, 0xFF | The paper feed took too long to finish its movement. Usually the main board. | A technician |
Messages that are not faults
An ink cartridge is empty. Not a fault: fit a new one.
A cartridge is missing or the printer cannot read it. Take it out and refit it. If the message stays with a new cartridge, the contacts need a look.
The maintenance box is missing or not recognised. Switch off, refit the box firmly, and switch back on.
The printer's waste ink count has reached its limit. Fit a new maintenance box. On models such as the WF-7620 series, the waste ink pads under the paper guide may also need replacing and the counter reset, which needs a technician.
Paper is stuck in the paper path. Open the scanner unit or printer cover, clear it, and press Start.
The cassette is empty, not pushed fully in, or holds a different size from the one asked for. Load the right paper and press Start.
The scanner unit or printer cover is not fully closed. Close it firmly.
On a new printer, the tape that holds the carriage still for transport has not been removed. Open the scanner unit and take it off.
Need it fixed?
Call 1300 922 260 or book online and quote the full code. In Brisbane, see Epson repairs in Brisbane. For toner and parts, see our Epson page.
Common questions
What does 0xEA mean on an Epson?
0xEA means the carriage met too much resistance while moving into position. Causes include a scrap of paper or a foreign object in its path, the carriage motor, a dirty or loose encoder scale, or a cable. Switch off, check the path, and if the code comes back, book a technician.
Can I reset an Epson printer error myself?
Switch the printer off, clear any paper or foreign object you can see in the carriage and paper path, and switch it back on. If the error came from something in the path, that may be enough. If the same code comes back, the cause is inside the mechanism and needs a technician.
What is a Maintenance error on an Epson?
The printer keeps a count of the waste ink it has used for cleaning, and that count has reached its limit. Replacing the maintenance box is the first step. Where the waste ink pads under the paper guide are also full, they need replacing and the counter reset by a technician.
Why does my Epson keep showing the same error?
A code that returns after a restart means the cause is still there. Write down the code and the model, and book a technician. The code tells us which parts to bring.
Checked against the Epson WF-7620, WF-7610 and WF-7110 series service manual. Other Epson inkjets write their codes the same way, but individual codes vary between models, so treat this as a guide rather than an exact match. DSA is an independent service provider. Epson is a trademark of its owner and is used here only to describe the machines we service.