Epson error 0x97 and ink pads: what it is and what to do

Your Epson had been running without complaint and, all of a sudden, the screen shows an error 0x97 or a message that "a part has reached the end of its service life." The printer locks up, won't print, and the first thing a lot of people think is: "it must have been the compatible ink I put in." Spoiler: it almost never is. Let's carefully separate two things people mix up —error 0x97 and the saturated ink-pad warning— and give you the real steps for each one.

Key takeaways
- Error 0x97 is an internal hardware fault (mainboard or print head), not an ink or ink-pad warning: it appears out of the blue and locks the printer (JustAnswer, 2024).
- The ink-pad message is different: they're sponges that absorb residual ink and an internal counter triggers the block by software before they fill completely.
- Before assuming an expensive fault, try the home steps: restart, clear jams, reseat cartridges and clean the print heads.
- In Spain you have 3 years of legal warranty (since 2022) and spare parts available for 10 years (Portal Consumo, 2022).
- Compatible ink does not cause the 0x97 or saturate the ink pads.

What exactly does error 0x97 mean on an Epson?

Error 0x97 (also written 0X97) is an internal hardware fault on the Epson printer that points mainly to the mainboard or the print head. It's not an ink or low-level warning: it appears suddenly, without notice, and leaves the machine locked until it's resolved (JustAnswer, 2024). Let's be clear from the start: it's electronics, not consumables.

It's seen almost always on the WorkForce range, which is the hardest-working one in offices and among freelancers. The most affected models are the WF-3620, the WF-3640 (which uses Epson 252 ink), the WF-4630 (Epson 786) and the WF-7610, usually on machines with many years or high volume behind them (Inkjets.com, 2025).

Quick definition. Error 0x97 is an Epson hardware fault code indicating a problem with the mainboard or the print head. Unlike a low-ink warning, it locks the machine completely and isn't solved by changing cartridges.

At Star Toner we test and print with our own compatible consumables before selling them, and in that process a lot of second-life WorkForce machines pass through our hands. When a 0x97 appears, the pattern we see over and over is the same: an old machine, plenty of power-on/off cycles, and the fault crops up with original and compatible ink alike. The cartridge brand isn't the variable.

Is the 0x97 the same as the ink-pad warning?

No, and this is the number one confusion. The 0x97 is a hardware fault; the ink-pad warning is a software maintenance message. The official on-screen text usually reads "A part inside your printer is at the end of its service life. Service is required." It refers to the ink pads, not the mainboard (Epson US, 2025).

The fact that both topics show up together in searches doesn't make them the same thing. The 0x97 locks you out by electronics; the ink-pad one locks you out because an internal counter decided you've already generated enough residual ink. They're two different doors, and each has its own key.

What are the ink pads?

The ink pads (waste ink pads) are porous sponges inside the printer that absorb the residual ink generated during normal use. That surplus ink comes from three places: the initial charge when you first set up the machine, the print-head cleaning cycles, and borderless printing, where the head fires ink beyond the paper (Epson US, 2025). Most home users will never see this warning; those who do are the ones who print high volume or have had the same machine for many years.

Why does it lock up before filling completely?

Because what decides isn't the sponge, it's the software. The waste ink counter (Waste Ink Counter or WIC) is an internal counter that adds up every cleaning and every borderless job. When it reaches its programmed limit, it locks the printer even if the physical pad still has capacity. It's a manufacturer safeguard to keep the ink from overflowing, but it's conservative: it trips early by design.

How do I fix error 0x97 at home step by step?

Before assuming a mainboard fault (which is expensive), rule out the minor, solvable causes, because the 0x97 can also be triggered by silly things: a clogged head, a paper jam or a foreign object inside, or a badly seated cartridge (Webcartucho, 2023). It's worth spending fifteen minutes on this before calling the technician. Follow the order:

1. Turn off and unplug. Turn the printer off with its button, unplug it from the power and wait at least 5 minutes. This drains the residual electricity and sometimes resets the internal state that triggered the error.
2. Check for jams and objects. Open the covers, remove any jammed paper and make sure there are no staples, clips or bits of paper inside the path. If you jam often, take a look at how to fix a paper jam.
3. Reseat the cartridges. Take them out and reinsert them until you hear the click. A poorly seated cartridge can confuse the electronics.
4. Run a nozzle test and clean the heads. From the panel or Epson's software, run the nozzle pattern and, if it comes out with faults, a head cleaning. If you don't know how, here's the guide to how to clean the print heads.
5. Update drivers and use the troubleshooter. Download Epson's official drivers and run its troubleshooter. If the printer has ink but still won't print after this, see why a printer won't print even though it has ink.

If after all this the 0x97 persists, it's likely a real mainboard or print-head fault, and then you have to decide between repairing or replacing (we look at this below).

What options do I have with saturated ink pads?

Four paths, depending on your printer and your budget. Epson offers as official solutions for the ink pads: its replacement service (with round-trip shipping included), a local certified technician, or its recycling program if you decide not to repair it. Under warranty, hardware faults and maintenance messages are usually covered (Epson US, 2025). Out of warranty, there's a widely used home route.

Option	What it is	Indicative cost	Definitive?
Official Epson service	Ink-pad replacement, shipping included	Per Epson's rate	Yes
Certified technician	Local repair	Labor + part	Yes
Counter reset (WIC)	Zero the counter by software	~€8.99/reset	No, temporary
Maintenance box (EcoTank)	Change a replaceable consumable	Price of the replacement	Yes, you change it

What is the reset with the WIC Reset Utility and how much does it cost?

The WIC Reset Utility (from wic-reset.com) is a utility that downloads for free and diagnoses for free, but the actual reset of the waste ink counter requires buying a single-use key for about €8.99 in Spanish shops like bioprinter.es, or $9.99 on the international sites (WIC Reset, 2025; Bioprinter, 2025). It works for Epson and Canon.

Citable capsule. The WIC counter reset zeroes the software, but it doesn't empty the sponge: the physical pad can keep filling up. It's a legitimate temporary solution to squeeze life out of an old machine, not a permanent fix. Each reset costs a new single-use key (~€8.99), so if you have to reset every few weeks, that's already telling you the real pad is nearing the end (Bioprinter, 2025).

And if I have an EcoTank or a modern model?

Good news: you escape the drama. On the EcoTank and recent models, the residual ink is collected in a user-replaceable maintenance box, with references like the T04D1 (C13T04D100). It's a consumable: you change it like a cartridge, with no technical service or paid resets (YouTube - T04D1 guide, 2024). That didn't exist on the old WorkForce machines with fixed ink pads, and it's one of the reasons the tank range pays off in the long run. If you're weighing a system change, compare in EcoTank vs MegaTank vs Smart Tank.

Does compatible ink cause error 0x97 or saturate the ink pads?

No. Neither one nor the other, and it's worth saying it loud. Error 0x97 is an electronics and hardware fault (mainboard or print head); the ink brand you use doesn't touch those components (Webcartucho, 2023). And the ink pads fill up from head cleanings, the initial charge and borderless printing, processes that happen exactly the same with original ink as with compatible.

Think of it this way: the WIC counter adds up cleanings, not cartridges. It doesn't care about the logo on the bottle. The residual ink that goes to the sponge depends on how many maintenance cycles your machine runs, not on who made the ink. Blaming the compatible is convenient, but it doesn't add up with how the printer works.

We check it on our own test bench: we print long runs with our compatible Epson ink and monitor the cleaning cycles. The residual counter's behavior is identical to the original's. When someone returns a machine to us with 0x97, the diagnosis almost always points to a worn head or electronics, never to "the aftermarket cartridge." Once the hardware is resolved, the printer prints perfectly with compatible.

And if your Epson also gives you grief recognizing cartridges after a change, that's a separate issue —usually contacts or firmware— and we cover it in the complete guide to ink cartridges.

What does the legal warranty in Spain cover me for if the hardware fails?

Quite a bit more than people think. Since 1 January 2022, the minimum legal warranty for consumer goods in Spain went from 2 to 3 years, and the minimum period for spare-part availability rose from 5 to 10 years after the product stops being manufactured, thanks to Royal Decree-Law 7/2021 that transposes EU Directive 2019/771 (Portal Consumo, 2022). A fault like the 0x97 on a relatively new machine falls squarely within this framework.

And there's a key nuance about who has to prove what. During the first 2 years the defect is presumed to have been there from the start and it's the seller who must prove otherwise; from year 2 to 3, the burden of proof passes to the consumer (Consumo Responde, 2024). Translated: if your WorkForce is a year and a half old and throws a 0x97, you don't have to prove anything; make your claim to the seller.

Citable capsule. In Spain, since 2022, you have 3 years of legal warranty and the right to spare parts for 10 years after the end of manufacturing (Royal Decree-Law 7/2021). In the first 2 years, the law presumes the defect is a factory one and requires the seller to prove otherwise (Portal Consumo, 2022).

This framework also protects your right to use third-party consumables without losing coverage. If you want the detail, we develop it in legal warranty and compatible cartridges in Spain.

Is it worth repairing or better to buy another printer?

It depends on the number, and it's worth doing it coolly. If the 0x97 is the mainboard or head on an old WorkForce, the cost of the repair (part plus labor) can get dangerously close to the price of a new tank printer. There the math rules: if repairing costs 60-70% of a new machine with a better cost per page, replacing usually works out better.

But there's a sustainability nuance that shouldn't be ignored. When the block is only from the software counter (ink pads), throwing out the printer is throwing out a machine that still works over a warning that a reset or a maintenance-box change resolves. Before sending it to the recycling point, exhaust those routes; and if you recycle it, do it right —we've left you where to recycle cartridges, ink and toner. Extending the life of what you already have is the cheapest option and the most responsible.

Frequently asked questions

Can error 0x97 be fixed without taking it to a technician?

Sometimes yes. If the cause is a jam, a badly fitted cartridge or a dirty head, the home steps (turn off and drain, clear jams, reseat cartridges, clean heads) can resolve it. If it persists after that, it's usually a real mainboard or head fault and then you need technical service (Webcartucho, 2023).

How much does it cost to reset the ink-pad counter?

The download and diagnosis of the WIC Reset Utility are free, but the actual counter reset requires a single-use key of about €8.99 in Spanish shops ($9.99 on international ones). It's a temporary solution: the physical pad can keep filling, so it's not a definitive fix (WIC Reset, 2025).

Did compatible ink cause my 0x97?

No. The 0x97 is a hardware or electronics fault (mainboard or head) and doesn't depend on the ink brand. The ink pads fill up from head cleanings, the initial charge and borderless printing, the same with original ink as with compatible (Webcartucho, 2023). You can keep using compatible with total peace of mind.

What's the difference between the ink pads and the maintenance box?

The ink pads are fixed sponges inside the old WorkForce models: when the counter trips, you need a reset or technical service. The maintenance box on the EcoTank and modern models (ref. T04D1, for example) is a replaceable consumable that you change yourself like a cartridge, with no locks (YouTube - T04D1 guide, 2024).

If my Epson fails under warranty, what can I claim?

In Spain you have 3 years of legal warranty since 2022. In the first 2 years, the law presumes the defect is a factory one and the seller must prove otherwise (Portal Consumo, 2022). A 0x97 on a machine under two years old can be claimed directly to the seller without you having to prove anything.

All sorted: print again without fear

Once the 0x97 or the ink-pad warning is resolved, there's no reason to overpay for ink. The compatible prints just the same and has nothing to do with the fault you just fixed. Take a look at our compatible Epson ink: tested, with an updated chip, and at a price that doesn't make you sweat every time a head cleaning kicks in.

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Sources

• Epson US (official support) — Epson Printer Parts "Service Required" Message / Ink Pad Reset Utility — https://epson.com/support/wa00369
• Inkjets.com — How to Fix a 0x97 Error Code on Your Epson Printer — https://www.inkjets.com/blogs/printer-ink-guides/how-to-fix-a-0x97-error-code-on-your-epson-printer
• Webcartucho — Error 0x97 on EPSON: what causes it and how to fix it? — https://www.webcartucho.com/blog/error-0x97-impresoras-epson
• JustAnswer — Fix Error Code 0x97 on Epson Workforce WF-3640 (printhead/mainboard) — https://www.justanswer.com/printers/od4bp-error-code-0x97-error-code-workforce-wf-3640-turned.html
• WIC Reset (wic-reset.com) — Download the WIC Reset Utility to reset the waste ink counter — https://wic-reset.com/es/download
• Bioprinter — WIC Reset Epson key — https://bioprinter.es/producto/clave-wic-reset-epson/
• Portal Consumo — Ministry of Consumer Affairs (Government of Spain) — Spain extends the minimum legal warranty from two to three years — https://portal-cec.consumo.gob.es/es/comunicacion/noticias/2022/espana-amplia-la-garantia-legal-minima-de-dos-tres-anos
• Consumo Responde (Junta de Andalucía) — The warranty on consumer products — https://www.consumoresponde.es/art%C3%ADculos/la_garantia_de_los_productos_de_consumo