Question 1

the printer says 'out of paper' when the tray is clearly full, it just won't pick up any sheets.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer’s paper sensor isn’t being triggered, or the pickup rollers have lost their grip. It thinks the tray is empty because it can’t feel or grab the top sheet. FIX 1) Remove all paper from the tray. 2) Firmly re-stack the paper, making sure all sheets are aligned perfectly. Tap the stack on a flat surface to even the edges. 3) Re-insert the stack, making absolutely sure it’s pushed all the way to the back of the tray under the metal clip. 4) Adjust the paper width guide so it’s just touching the side of the stack—too tight or too loose can cause this. 5) Try raising the paper type lever on the tray to the thicker setting, even for plain paper; this increases the roller pressure. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The pickup rollers are worn or dirty. With the printer off, open the rear cover. You’ll see the main rubber pickup roller. Clean it with a cloth dampened with a little distilled water. If the rubber looks smooth or shiny (worn out), you can sometimes get better grip by roughening it slightly with a clean pencil eraser. HEADS UP Using paper that’s too light (like super thin 16 lb) or too heavy (like cardstock set on the plain paper setting) will confuse the feed mechanism. Stick with standard 20 lb multipurpose paper for best results.

Question 2

my canon pixma ts3520 is making a loud, rhythmic grinding or clicking noise when it prints, sounds terrible.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS That’s a mechanical noise, almost always coming from the print head carriage assembly. It’s likely the carriage is dragging on something or the plastic gear train that moves it has a damaged tooth or a foreign object caught in it. FIX Power off and unplug the printer. Open the front cover. Look closely at the silver rod (the guide rail) the carriage slides on. If it’s dry or has debris, wipe it clean with a dry lint-free cloth. Then, apply one tiny drop of plain white lithium grease (not oil, not WD-40) to a cloth and wipe it onto the rail to lubricate it. Manually move the carriage back and forth a few times to spread the grease. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The noise might be from the belt or gears at the left end of the carriage. Shine a light there and look for a broken plastic gear tooth or a piece of paper debris. If you see physical damage to a gear, the mechanism will likely need professional service. HEADS UP That grinding noise can eventually cause the printer to throw a 5100 or 6000 error. Catching it early with cleaning and lubrication can prevent a full lock-up. If you use grease, use an extremely small amount—excess can attract more dust and make things worse.

Question 3

the paper keeps getting jammed halfway through when i try to print, it's all wrinkled and crooked.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Paper is feeding at an angle, which causes it to skew and jam inside. This is usually because of one of three things: overloaded paper tray, warped/damp paper, or dirty paper feed rollers. FIX 1) Don’t overfill the tray. The TS3520 tray should hold about 100 sheets, but for reliable feeding, try 50-75 sheets of standard 20 lb paper. 2) Fan the paper stack well before loading it to prevent static cling. 3) Ensure the paper guides in the tray are snug against the edge of the paper stack, but not tight enough to bow the paper. 4) Check the rear feed flap is fully down and not obstructed. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The feed rollers inside the rear of the printer get dusty. With the printer off, open the rear cover. You’ll see a set of rubber rollers. Dampen a lint-free cloth with a little distilled water and wipe the rollers clean, rotating them by hand to get the whole surface. Let them dry completely before testing with paper. HEADS UP Never use paper that’s been in a humid environment or has a torn edge. Even one slightly bent corner can start a jam. Also, this printer is designed for plain paper up to legal size—avoid thick cardstock or photo paper through the rear feed for general printing; use feed slot for specialty media.

Question 4

i'm trying to scan from my ts3520 to my computer but the canon app just says 'cannot communicate with scanner'.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The scanner driver on your computer is either missing, corrupted, or being blocked by your security/firewall software. It’s a software handshake problem, not usually a hardware one. FIX First, ensure you’ve installed the full software package from the Canon website, not just the basic drivers Windows auto-installs. 1) Download the “TS3500 series Full Driver & Software Package” from Canon’s support site. 2) Uninstall any existing Canon printer software from your computer’s control panel. 3) Run the new installer as an administrator (right-click, ‘Run as administrator’). Make sure to connect via USB during installation if prompted, even if you plan to use wireless later. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the software is installed, the communication can be blocked. Temporarily disable your Windows Defender Firewall and any third-party antivirus (like McAfee or Norton) and try the scan again. If it works, you’ll need to add an exception for the Canon software in your security settings. HEADS UP The IJ Scan Utility that comes with the full package is more reliable for scanning than the generic Windows scanning dialog. Use that dedicated program for best results.

Question 5

my canon printer's power light is just blinking orange and it won't do anything at all, no noise, no nothing.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS A steady blinking orange power light is a general hardware error. It often means the printer can’t complete its startup self-check, which could be due to a stuck carriage, a paper jam it detected but you can’t see, or a faulty ink cartridge. FIX 1) Unplug the power cord from the back of the printer and from the wall outlet. Wait a full 60 seconds. 2) While it’s unplugged, open all covers—the front output tray, the rear paper feed cover, and the scanner lid. Check meticulously for any scraps of paper, especially in the rear feed area. 3) Remove both ink cartridges and re-seat them firmly until they click. 4) Plug the power cord directly into a wall outlet (not a power strip), and turn the printer on. The full restart often clears the error state. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the blinking continues, the issue is likely the carriage being in an abnormal position. With the printer off and unplugged, gently try to move the print head carriage by hand. If it’s stuck in the middle, guide it all the way to the right side into its parked position. Then plug in and power on. HEADS UP If the blinking is a fast pattern (like two quick blinks, pause, repeat), that’s a specific error code. Write down the blink pattern and look up “Canon TS3520 blink codes” online for a more targeted fix.

Question 6

the black ink on my canon pixma ts3520 is printing really faint and streaky, even though the cartridge says it's full.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The print head nozzles for the black ink are clogged with dried ink. This is super common with these inkjet printers if they sit unused for a week or two, especially with the standard dye-based black ink. FIX You need to run a deep cleaning cycle from your computer. 1) On your PC or Mac, go to your printer settings (Devices and Printers on Windows). 2) Right-click on your TS3520, select ‘Printing Preferences’, then go to the ‘Maintenance’ tab. 3) Click ‘Deep Cleaning’. Select the black ink channel and run it. This uses a fair bit of ink to force fresh ink through the clogs. After it finishes, print a nozzle check pattern (also in the Maintenance tab) to see if the lines are solid. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the deep cleaning doesn’t clear it, you can try a manual clean. Dampen a paper towel with distilled water, place it in the tray under the print head parking station (where the head sits when off), and gently park the print head on it for about 10 minutes. The moisture can help soften the dried ink. Then run another deep cleaning cycle. HEADS UP Don’t run the deep cleaning cycle more than twice in a row—it will drain your ink cartridge fast. If it’s still clogged after two tries, the cartridge itself might be faulty even if it reports full, or the print head may need replacement.

Question 7

just got a ts3520 and it won't connect to my wifi during setup, it just keeps searching and failing.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is almost always a router communication issue, specifically with the 2.4 GHz band. The TS3520 does not connect to 5 GHz networks, and certain router settings (like WPA3-only mode or certain channel widths) can block it. FIX 1) On your router’s admin page, ensure your 2.4 GHz network is turned on and broadcasting its SSID (network name). 2) Temporarily set the security to WPA2-Personal (AES). 3) Make sure you’re entering the password correctly—it’s case-sensitive. 4) During printer setup, choose the “Standard setup” method, not WPS. 5) Move the printer and router closer together, away from microwaves or cordless phone bases, just for the setup. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Try connecting using the Wireless Direct method first. Press the Wi-Fi button on the printer until the light flashes, then connect your phone/computer directly to the printer’s network (name will be on the printed info sheet) to run the setup wizard from the Canon app. This often bypasses the initial router hang-up. HEADS UP If your router combines 2.4 and 5 GHz under one name (band steering), the printer will often fail. The most reliable fix is to temporarily create a separate 2.4 GHz network with a different name for the printer setup.

Question 8

my canon ts3520 printer keeps showing 'error 5100' and won't print anything, just makes a grinding noise.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS That’s a carriage error. The print head carriage is physically stuck or hitting an obstruction, usually because a piece of paper, a dried ink drip, or a foreign object is jamming its path. FIX First, turn the printer off and unplug it from the wall. Open the front cover and look inside the carriage track. Use a flashlight to spot any bits of paper or debris. Gently remove anything you see. Next, manually move the print head carriage. It should slide smoothly from side to side. If it’s stuck, don’t force it; check for a clearer obstruction. Once it moves freely, plug the printer back in and turn it on. It should do a startup cycle and clear the error. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the carriage moves but the error returns, the issue might be the encoder strip—the thin, clear plastic strip behind the carriage. It gets dirty. Power off again, and with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water (not alcohol or cleaner), gently wipe the strip clean. Let it dry completely before powering on. HEADS UP Never spray cleaners directly into the printer. If you manually move the carriage, do it gently and only when the printer is off and unplugged to avoid damaging the motor.

Canon PIXMA TS3520 Wireless All-in-One Printer

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