Canon / TR4500 series

1702 - The ink absorber is almost full and service planning is needed.

The ink absorber is almost full and service planning is needed.

This guide is scoped to the TR4500 series family. Exact menu wording, cartridge naming, and service behavior can still vary by model variant and firmware.

Severity

Medium

Most likely cause

The internal ink absorber has reached a warning threshold.

Can you keep using it?

Maybe after the first checks

Consumables involved

Ink absorber, Waste ink system

Can you keep using it?

Can you keep using it?

Contact customer support if any of these apply

  • !The warning repeats frequently and downtime would be disruptive.
  • !A stronger absorber or service-stop code appears after 1702.
If the printer still starts normally: Finish the first checks once, then stop if the same message repeats or the printer still cannot return to ready.

What to check first

Step-by-step checks

  1. 1

    Safe first step

    Keep printing only if the printer is otherwise stable and you understand the warning is still active.

    Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.

  2. 2

    Escalate

    Plan Canon support or replacement before the absorber reaches the full stop condition.

  3. 3

    Escalate

    Avoid unnecessary cleaning cycles because they shorten the remaining service life.

Background

What this message usually means

Canon uses support code 1702 when the TR4500 series estimates that the ink absorber is almost full. This is a warning-stage service-life condition rather than a low-ink alert, so printing can often continue temporarily but support planning is wise.

Diagnosis

Likely causes

Most common

The internal ink absorber has reached a warning threshold.

Common

Cleaning cycles and purge routines filled the waste-ink area over time.

Possible

The printer's service counter is nearing its stop point.

Service

When service or replacement is more likely

  • -This is a service-life warning, not a normal ink cartridge reminder.

Source notes

Canon's official 1702 page says the ink absorber is almost full and indicates a warning-stage maintenance condition.

Built around Canon TR4500-series official support-code guidance. Exact wording can vary a little by regional model naming, but the support-code meaning stays close across the family.

Printer error codes can vary a little by firmware, region, and exact model variant. Use this guide as a family-level starting point and stop if the next step would require disassembly or service-mode changes.

Known family variants: TR4520, TR4522, TR4527, TR4530, TR4540, TR4550, TR4551, TR4560, TR4570, TR4570S, TR4580, TR4590, TR4595

Last reviewed: 2026-04-12

Reference: Open reference

Privacy and advertising

Choose whether to allow ad personalization

FixThisError may use Google AdSense on broad browse pages. Your choice controls whether advertising-related cookies and ad requests can be used. Core site content remains available either way.