Canon Slapped With Lawsuit For Killing Scanner Function When Printer Ink Runs Out

David Leacraft, of New York, recently filed a class-action complaint against Canon U.S.A., Inc. In the lawsuit, Mr. Leacraft asserts that when he purchased a Canon all-in-one printer, he was misguided by the advertising Canon used saying its printer was in fact a multi-function device. The printer he is referring to is a Canon Pixma MG2522

In the complaint it says that the issue stems from the fact that once the printer in question reaches low or no ink status, the scan and fax functions are not available to use. Leacraft says this negates the claim that the printer is a multi-function device, but rather a single-function device if the printer has no ink.

In a 2016 post on Canon’s community website Canon responded to a user explaining why this happens. They posted, “These precautions are in place to prevent damage to the printer from occurring if printing with no ink is attempted. The printer uses the ink to cool the printhead during the printing process. If no ink is present, the printhead could be damaged or the unit would require service.”

The claim says that it is a “design issue” by Canon and not a precautionary step. People purchase Canon products because of their excellent reputation and quality and Canon should have either designed the printer to not disable the other functions when the ink was out (the “design issue”) or made it clear that this would be the case.

Leacraft argues in the lawsuit that on Canon’s website the company says that various versions of its all-in-one printers are advertised as “Versatile Printing, Copying & Scanning,” and can “Simply print, copy, and scan”. Pictures of the box for his printer also show images that the printer is capable of multi-functions. 

It will be interesting to see where the courts fall on this issue. As a consumer, one wants to be warned of all the caveats a product may have before purchasing. This helps ensure a smooth purchasing experience. The company, however, is often left deciding what information to include and exclude as it markets its product.

Where do you fall on whether or not Canon failed to advertise and market its printer(s) correctly? How much research should a consumer have to do before purchasing a product to ensure it meets all their requirements? Have you purchased a product that you felt was advertised poorly? Let us know in the comments.