Some Epson printers displayed a mysterious ‘service required’ warning message, leaving users scratching their heads. But the company has now come out with an explanation.
As reported Register, The error message is the result of the ink sponges built into the printer absorbing excess ink that is released during many processes, such as cleaning cycles.
In a statement about his Support page (opens in a new tab)Epson says that “depending on the level of use, a product may reach a state where print quality cannot be maintained or where the components have reached the end of their service life.”
End of life for your Epson printer
According RegisterEpson previously claimed that the message acted as “a warning that some parts have reached the end of their service life and that the printer will not function until it is serviced,” prompting many users to criticize the company’s transparency of communications.
Previously, Epson’s documentation directed customers to purchase a brand new device when an error message appeared. However, in the face of criticism from customers on platforms such as Reddit, the company is now advising users to take advantage of an “low-cost ink cartridge replacement service”.
However, it is rumored that the saturation of the ink sponges is measured using a simple cycle counter, which can be reset manually using the Epson Maintenance Reset Utility for extra life, but only on Windows computers.
Epson was previously in the line of fire after allegedly releasing a firmware update that would prevent its printers from accepting third-party ink replacements, leading to a class action lawsuit. Understandably, there have also been concerns about the company’s ink subscription service, which works in a similar way to HP Instant Ink.
By Register (opens in a new tab)