Why the printer stops
Every Epson inkjet throws some ink away on purpose. Head cleaning, the first ink charge of a new printer and borderless printing all send ink to absorbent pads inside the machine, often called the waste ink pads.
Nothing inside measures how wet those pads are. The printer counts roughly how much ink it has sent there instead. When the count reaches a limit set at the factory, the printer stops and asks for service. The idea is to stop before ink has anywhere to go but out of the printer.
You will see the same problem worded in different ways:
- On the computer: “The printer’s ink pads are at the end of their service life”, or “Service Required”.
- On printers with a screen: an error code such as E-11 or E-12.
- On printers without a screen: two lights blinking together.
In every case, the counter has reached its limit.
The counter is not the pad
There are two separate things, and mixing them up is how printers get damaged:
| Part | What it is | What a reset does to it |
|---|---|---|
| The counter | A number the printer stores | Sets it back to 0% |
| The pads | Real sponges soaked with ink | Nothing, the ink stays there |
Because the printer only counts, the limit is set with a safety margin. The first time you see the message, the pads are often not completely full, and resetting the counter to carry on printing is usually fine. The trouble comes from resetting again and again for years without looking at the pads. Ink keeps arriving and can eventually leak onto the base of the printer and its electronics.
Your options
| Option | What you pay | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reset the counter yourself with VNIT Reset Tool | Free trial, then US$6 per full reset | About 5 minutes |
| Have the pads replaced at a service centre | Local service price | Usually days |
| Replace the printer | Price of a new printer | — |
Some Epson models also have an official one-time reset utility from Epson that lets you print for a while before servicing. Check Epson’s support site for your model.
Resetting with VNIT Reset Tool
- Download the tool, unzip it and run
VNIT_Reset.exe. - Connect the printer with a USB cable, switch it on and press Check. You see how full each counter is. This is free.
- If the counter is at 90% or more, run the free trial. It lowers the counter to 85% and the error clears. Once per printer.
- For a full reset to 0%, buy a key and enter it.
- Switch the printer off and on again. The printer only reads the new counter after a restart.
Printers with a maintenance box
Some newer models do not have fixed pads. They collect waste ink in a replaceable maintenance box with a chip, such as C9345 or T04D1. On those printers the fix is a new box. A new box starts empty, the printer recognises it and the message clears. No reset software applies. Check your model before buying anything.
When to stop resetting and look at the pads
Deal with the pads themselves when you notice any of these:
- ink on the desk under the printer,
- smudges on the back of your pages,
- a wet area around where the print head rests,
- the error coming back within days of a reset.
What to do with the pads explains washing, replacing and fitting an external waste ink tank.
Sources
- Epson Support — ink pads at the end of their service life (official notice and service options)
- VNIT repair records, Ho Chi Minh City — counters and pad condition seen on customer printers