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Stop printing if the same fault returns after one careful restart or basic recovery step.
Canon / TS5000 series

B203 - A repair-required printer fault occurred and the printer should be powered down.

A repair-required printer fault occurred and the printer should be powered down.

This guide is scoped to the TS5000 series family. Exact menu wording, cartridge naming, and service behavior can still vary by model variant and firmware.

Severity

High

Most likely cause

The printer detected an internal fault that requires repair.

Can you keep using it?

Usually no - see below

Consumables involved

Not usually the first suspect

Can you keep using it?

Can you keep using it?

Contact customer support if any of these apply

  • !B203 is displayed at all, because Canon treats it as a repair-required condition.
  • !The printer will not start normally after one clean power cycle.
If the printer still starts normally: Try one careful restart or the first official recovery step, then stop if the same error comes back straight away.

What to check first

Step-by-step checks

  1. 1

    Safe first step

    Turn the printer off and unplug it from power.

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

  2. 2

    Safe first step

    Do not keep retrying print jobs into the same fault state.

  3. 3

    Escalate

    Record the support code and contact Canon support or a repair center.

Background

What this message usually means

Canon uses support code B203 for a repair-required error on the TS5000 series. This is not a user-maintenance warning. Canon's official guidance is to turn the printer off, unplug it, and request repair support rather than continuing normal troubleshooting.

Diagnosis

Likely causes

Most common

The printer detected an internal fault that requires repair.

Common

A printhead or main print-system problem escalated into a service-stop error.

Possible

The device could not recover from a prior hardware fault during startup or use.

Service

When service or replacement is more likely

  • -B203 is a stronger stop-and-escalate code than routine feed or cartridge warnings.
  • -If the printer is older, it is worth weighing repair cost against replacement value.

See also

Related codes in this family

1403

The printhead may be damaged and Canon treats it as a repair case.

1401

The printhead is not installed correctly or is not being recognized.

Source notes

Canon's official B203 page says a repair-required error occurred and instructs users to turn the printer off, unplug it, and request repair.

Built around Canon TS5000-series official support-code guidance. Exact wording can vary a little by regional model name and firmware, 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: TS5010, TS5020, TS5040, TS5050, TS5051, TS5053, TS5060, TS5070, TS5080, TS5090

Last reviewed: 2026-04-12

Reference: Open reference

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