Canon error codes, explained
imageRUNNER / imageRUNNER ADVANCE copiers and imageCLASS printers. Codes below: E-codes (E000–E8xx). Each guide covers what the code means, what you can safely try yourself, when to stop and call a technician, and what the repair typically costs.
Canon E000 — Fuser temperature failure (no warm-up)
The fixing (fuser) unit did not reach its target temperature during startup. The machine locks itself out to prevent fire risk, and on most imageRUNNER models this error latches until it is cleared in service mode.
Canon E001 — Fuser overheating detected
The fixing unit temperature rose above its safe limit. This is a protective shutdown — the usual causes are a failing thermistor giving bad readings or a fault in the heater control circuit.
Canon E002 — Fuser did not reach standby temperature in time
The fuser began heating but rose too slowly, so the machine aborted warm-up. Common causes are a degraded fuser film/heater or low line voltage to the machine.
Canon E003 — Fuser temperature dropped after warm-up
The fuser reached operating temperature but then fell below the minimum threshold while running, pointing at a heater, thermistor, or power-supply fault.
Canon E007 — Fuser film/fixing rotation error
The machine detected that the fuser film or fixing assembly is not rotating correctly — often a worn fuser film unit or a drive problem.
Canon E010 — Main motor failure
The main drive motor did not reach speed or stalled. Can be caused by a jammed drive train, a failing motor, or an obstruction in the drum/developer drive path.
Canon E100 — Laser/BD (beam detect) error
The laser scanner unit failed its beam-detect check, so the machine can't form images safely. Usually the polygon motor or laser unit.
Canon E202 — Scanner home position error
The scanner carriage could not find its home position — the optical unit is stuck, the position sensor failed, or the drive belt slipped.
Canon E225 — Scanner lamp light-amount error
The scanner's exposure lamp is producing too little light — typically an aging lamp/LED array or a dirty optical path.
Canon E602 — Hard disk / storage error
The machine's internal storage (HDD or SSD) failed a read/write check. Job storage, mailboxes, and sometimes booting are affected.
Canon E733 — Controller communication error family (E730s)
The main controller failed to communicate with a subsystem (printer controller, network module, or finisher). E730–E739 codes are a family with the same general cause pattern: connection, board, or firmware faults.
Canon E805 — Exhaust fan error
A cooling/exhaust fan is not spinning at the expected speed. The machine shuts down to avoid heat damage. Often dust buildup or a failing fan motor.
Canon E019 — Waste toner full (or falsely detected full)
The waste toner container is detected full — or the sensor thinks it is. Two distinct situations people hit: the container is genuinely full (empty or replace it; on small iRs it's built into the drum unit), or it clearly isn't full and the detection flag/sensor is at fault, which needs service (and often a service-mode counter reset).
Canon E025 — Toner supply motor error
The toner delivery system faulted: bottle rotation not detected, motor overcurrent (often from a toner bottle inserted wrong), or no toner detected after a supply cycle. On color machines the detail code identifies the color station. The high-percentage fix is simply reseating the bottle.
Canon E110 — Laser scanner motor speed error
The polygon (laser scanner) motor didn't reach its specified speed in time. One power cycle is worth trying; a recurring E110 means the laser scanner unit is failing and needs replacement.
Canon E240 — Main controller / DC controller communication error
The machine's two main brains stopped talking — a fault between the main controller and DC controller boards. Board-level; beyond a power cycle there's no user fix.
Canon E261 — Zero-cross (power) signal error
The machine isn't detecting a clean AC power signal. Frequently an environment problem, not a machine problem: power strips, UPSs, shared circuits, or a failing outlet. Rule the power source out before anyone replaces boards.
Canon E301 — Scanner light-intensity (shading) error
The scanner's light reading fell below reference during shading correction — dirty optics or white reference area, a weakening lamp, or reader unit failure. Cleaning fixes a meaningful share.
Canon E500 — Finisher communication error
The copier lost contact with its finisher (the stapler/sorter unit). Very often a docking problem: the finisher isn't fully latched to the main unit, or a cable worked loose.
Canon E540 — Finisher tray lift error
The finisher's output tray couldn't find its home position — and the classic cause is delightfully mundane: something is under or around the tray (a forgotten paper stack, a stapler, someone's lunch), or the tray is overloaded.
Canon E719 — Card reader / coin vendor communication error
The machine lost contact with its copy-card reader or coin vendor accessory. Reseat the accessory's cabling first; note that if the accessory was deliberately removed, the machine needs a service-mode change to stop expecting it.
Canon E730 — PDL/print controller software error
The print controller software faulted — 'no reply from PDL' — or communication with an external print controller (imagePASS) failed. The detail code matters: some variants are firmware, some are the external controller connection.
Canon E732 — Scanner communication error
The main controller can't talk to the reader (scanner) unit — E733's scanner-side sibling. Cable, reader board, or firmware mismatch.
Canon E740 — Network (LAN) board error
The Ethernet board failed its check — including missing/invalid MAC address cases. Reseat the network cable and power cycle; a persisting E740 is a NIC board replacement.
Canon E804 — Power supply fan error
A power-supply cooling fan stopped (lock signal detected while driven). Dust is the usual assassin. The detail code identifies which fan.