my canon mg3620 just shows a solid orange light and won't print or copy anything, what's wrong?

Diagnosis

The solid orange Alarm light on the Canon PIXMA MG3620 indicates a general hardware error state that has halted all print and copy operations. Unlike a flashing light, which usually signifies a simple "out of paper" or "ink low" warning, a solid light typically means the printer's internal logic has detected a critical failure that prevents the carriage from moving or the sensors from verifying a "ready" state. This is most commonly caused by a physical obstruction in the paper path, a misaligned ink cartridge preventing the carriage from locking into place, or a failure in the encoder strip (the clear plastic ribbon that tells the printer where the printhead is located).

To confirm the exact cause, look at the computer screen connected to the printer. The Canon Status Monitor will typically display a specific error code, such as "Error 1300" (Paper Jam) or "Error 1688" (Ink Cartridge cannot be recognized). If the printer is standalone, a solid orange light without a flashing pattern often points to a "carriage jam," where the printhead is physically blocked from returning to its home position on the far right side of the chassis.

How to Fix It

Follow these precise steps to clear the hardware lock and reset the printer's internal sensors:

1. Power down the printer using the Power button and physically unplug the AC power cord from the wall outlet. This clears the volatile memory and resets the carriage motor.
2. Open the scanning unit (the top lid) and the paper output tray. Gently pull all paper out of the rear input tray.
3. Inspect the interior for any small scraps of paper, staples, or debris. Use a flashlight to look specifically at the far right and left ends of the carriage rail. If you find a scrap, use tweezers to remove it; do not use your fingers if the paper is wedged deep in the rollers.
4. Check the ink cartridges (PG-245 and CL-246). Gently press down on the top of each cartridge to ensure they "click" firmly into place. If a cartridge is slightly protruding, the carriage sensor will trigger a solid orange alarm.
5. Locate the encoder strip—the thin, transparent plastic strip running horizontally across the width of the printer. If there is a smudge of ink or grease on this strip, the printer cannot track the printhead position. Carefully wipe it with a dry, lint-free cloth or a cotton swab dampened with a tiny amount of isopropyl alcohol. Do not apply pressure, as displacing the strip will cause a permanent alignment error.
6. Close all covers and plug the power cord back in. Turn the printer on and wait 30 seconds for the initialization cycle to complete.

If That Didn't Work

• Perform a Hard Reset: With the printer on, unplug the power cord from the back of the machine. Hold the Power button down for 15 seconds to drain any remaining electricity from the capacitors. Plug the power back in and restart. This often clears "phantom" paper jam errors.
• Check for "Ink Absorber Full" Error: If the orange light is accompanied by a specific sequence of flashes (usually 7 flashes), the waste ink pads are saturated. While this usually requires a service tool, you can temporarily bypass it by holding the Stop/Reset button for 5 seconds, then 5 more seconds, then 5 more seconds to enter the service mode and reset the counter.
• Inspect the Rear Feed Slot: Check for a foreign object (like a coin or a paperclip) that may have fallen into the rear tray. Even a tiny object can trigger the paper sensor, causing a solid alarm light even when no paper is present.
• Update the Firmware: Connect the printer via USB to a PC. Run the Canon MG3600 series driver update. Sometimes a firmware glitch causes the printer to misread sensor data, leading to a false error state.

Heads Up

• Never use canned air (compressed air) inside the printer; it can push debris further into the gears or blow ink droplets onto the encoder strip, causing the orange light to return.
• Avoid using "non-genuine" third-party cartridges that do not have the correct chip height, as these often fail to seat properly in the MG3620 carriage, triggering a hardware alarm.
• If you are cleaning the encoder strip, avoid using soap or window cleaner, as the chemicals can strip the timing marks off the plastic, rendering the printer unusable.
• Always turn the printer off via the power button before unplugging it to prevent corruption of the internal flash memory.