Canon Support Code 1702 — waste ink near full won’t reset

Joe B.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Canon PIXMA/MG/G-series, ink absorber & waste ink errors, service mode, small office printers

Canon 1702 “ink absorber almost full” — waste ink counter, absorber pads, and when a reset is safe

Technician

Hey! We’ll clean up the ghost printers Windows 11 keeps finding in Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add device.
A few questions to target the fix: Are the duplicates showing as WSD/IPP or USB? Do you use a print server, shared printer, or direct IP? And did this start after a feature update or moving networks (home/office/VPN)?

Customer

My issue is different — I’ve got a Canon PIXMA that pops up Support Code 1702, “ink absorber almost full”. Even after restarting, the waste ink near full warning keeps coming back. How do I actually fix this?

Technician

Great, thanks for clarifying — let’s focus on that.
Canon Support Code 1702 is an “ink absorber almost full” or waste ink near capacity warning. Your printer tracks every cleaning cycle and dumps waste ink into internal sponge pads called the waste ink absorber.
Key points:
• 1702 = almost full / operator call. It may let you keep printing after you press a button.
• If you ignore it, it can escalate to hard stop codes like 5B00 / 5B02 / 5B14 where printing is blocked.
• A quick “counter-only” reset without dealing with the actual pads can cause ink leakage inside the printer.
We’ll walk through safe steps: confirm it’s really 1702, decide if a service mode reset is appropriate for your Canon model, and when you actually need absorber pads cleaned or replaced instead of just silencing the warning.

Customer

It’s a Canon MG3600 series at home. Message says 1702 ink absorber almost full, press Start to continue. But lately it comes back every time. I tried power cycling and basic resets, it still won’t clear properly.

Technician

Perfect, MG3600-series is a classic case.
Step 1 — Confirm it’s a 1702 “almost full”, not a hard stop
1) Check the exact wording on the PC or printer display: look for “Support Code 1702 / ink absorber is almost full” or similar.
2) If the printer still prints after pressing Start/OK, you’re in the waste ink near full stage — Canon’s way of warning you to plan service soon.
3) If it refuses to print at all and shows 5B00 / 5B02 / “ink absorber is full”, that’s a different, stricter lockout.
For a persistent 1702 that won’t go away, we treat it as: (a) pads are genuinely saturated, or (b) the waste ink counter glitched. We should not blindly spam random reset tools — let’s do this in a controlled way.

Customer

I’ve seen “service mode reset” tricks online for Canon waste ink counters. Can I just run that for 1702 and ignore the absorber pads?

Technician

Good you asked before doing it.
A waste ink counter reset for Canon 1702 does two things:
• tells firmware “pretend the absorber is empty again”;
• does not magically remove the ink that’s already in the pads.
If the ink absorber pads are actually saturated and you only reset, you’re gambling on ink overflowing inside the chassis — messy and can ruin the printer or desk.
Recommended approach:
• For relatively low-volume home use with a fresh 1702: a guided service mode reset + partial pad check can be reasonable.
• For heavy users / visible ink pooling: pads must be cleaned/replaced (or the whole printer swapped) before you reset the counter.
On chat I can walk you through model-specific reset logic and help you decide if it’s safe in your case instead of copying risky one-size-fits-all sequences.

Customer

Is there anything simple I can check myself to see if the waste ink absorber is really near full before I pay for service or replace the printer?

Technician

Yes — a few safe checks that don’t require full disassembly.
Step 2 — Quick visual check of the waste ink area
1) Turn the printer OFF and unplug it.
2) Open the main access door so the carriage moves to the center (if your model supports it) when powered, or gently move it once powered off as allowed in the manual.
3) Look into the far right/bottom where the ink absorber pads / waste ink sponges sit.
4) If you see pads heavily saturated, shiny wet areas, or dried ink crust overflowing the plastic well, then your waste ink absorber is genuinely near full and Canon 1702 is accurate.
5) If everything looks reasonably clean for the printer’s age and you’re a light user, 1702 may be more about the internal page/cleaning counter than real capacity — a scenario where a controlled reset after a basic clean makes sense.
If you’d like a second opinion, snap a clear photo of that area during chat — an expert can usually tell in seconds if pads are borderline or fine.

Customer

Can I just keep pressing Start and use it until it locks out? It’s an older Canon, not sure it’s worth sending to service.

Technician

That’s one option, but it’s better to be intentional about it.
For many Canon PIXMA / MG / TS models:
• 1702 is an “ink absorber almost full” operator call — you can temporarily continue printing.
• If you keep going, you’ll eventually hit a service call error (e.g. 5B00, 5B02) where the printer fully locks until the waste ink counter is reset in service mode and absorber pads are serviced.
Reasonable path if it’s older:
1) Use 1702 as a signal to back up scanning/printing options and plan next steps.
2) Decide: cheap absorber cleaning + counter reset locally, or retire the printer and move on.
3) Avoid shady “unlimited reset” tools that may be malware or corrupt firmware.
Hop into chat and I can run numbers with you (pages printed vs repair cost vs new Canon/Epson/Brother) so you make a quick, informed call.

Customer

Is doing a waste ink reset via the official style button sequence safe, or will that void my Canon warranty?

Technician

Great question.
• If your printer is still under Canon warranty, do not perform undocumented service mode resets or disassembly — contact Canon or an authorized center and reference Support Code 1702 waste ink.
• If it’s out of warranty, a documented, model-appropriate waste ink reset performed after cleaning/replacing the absorber is standard practice for many repair shops.
• What hurts you is forcing things, ignoring leaks, or using hacked tools that Canon never endorsed.
In chat we can confirm your model, warranty status, and walk through a safe, minimal reset path that aligns with Canon’s own guidance and reduces the risk of overflow.

Customer

Understood. Can you summarize the right steps if Canon 1702 won’t reset and I want a clean, safe fix?

Technician

Sure.
Summary: When you see Canon Support Code 1702 — ink absorber almost full and it won’t properly clear:
• Confirm it’s a 1702 operator warning (printer still prints) vs a full 5B00-series lockout.
• Inspect the waste ink absorber pads area for heavy saturation or pooling.
• If pads are clearly soaked or the printer is still under warranty: arrange Canon service or replacement — don’t just reset.
• If pads are reasonable and the unit is out of warranty: perform a careful clean/replace of absorber pads and then a waste ink counter reset appropriate to your model.
• Avoid random tools; one guided session with a real technician is safer and cheaper than a dead printer and ink everywhere.
Need tailored steps for your exact model? Open the chat and we’ll walk you through it live.

Quick answer: the accepted fix for Support Code 1702

For Canon Support Code 1702 “ink absorber almost full” that won’t reset: confirm it’s a 1702 warning (not 5B00), power cycle, check for leaks, inspect the waste ink absorber pads, then either (1) clean/replace the pads and reset the waste ink counter in service mode for out-of-warranty units, or (2) schedule Canon service or replacement if pads are saturated or the device is still covered.

FAQ

Step-by-step: handling Canon Support Code 1702 safely

1. Confirm the exact message: make sure it’s Support Code 1702 “ink absorber almost full”, not a 5B00-series full error.
2. Power the printer off, unplug it, and wait 60–90 seconds.
3. Open the access area and visually inspect the waste ink absorber pads (where the carriage parks) for heavy saturation or ink pooling.
4. If pads look flooded or the printer is under warranty, contact Canon support or a service center for absorber replacement.
5. If pads look reasonable and the printer is out of warranty, consider a careful pad clean/replace plus a waste ink counter reset appropriate to your model.
6. Avoid unverified reset utilities; if unsure, use live chat with a technician to guide the process.

Note for Windows & macOS users

1. Support Code 1702 is generated by the printer itself. Updating drivers on Windows or macOS will not clear it if the waste ink counter is at its limit.
2. Once the absorber has been serviced and the counter reset, reinstall the printer normally and print a test page from each device to confirm stable operation.

Sources

• Canon — Support codes 1702+ ink absorber almost full guidance
• Canon Community — Real-world 1702 “ink absorber almost full” cases
• EasyFixs — Background on Canon MG3600 waste ink codes & absorber handling

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