Canon 1660 Error (Ink Tank Not Installed)
What it means
An ink tank is not installed, or is installed and cannot be detected. The printer stops until the tank it names is seated properly, and unlike the head faults it is almost always something you can put right in a couple of minutes. Start with the tank the message names. Take it out and put it back, pressing until it clicks; a tank that is nearly home but not quite is the single most common cause, and it looks perfectly seated from above. If it still is not seen, look at the small contacts on the tank and at the matching ones inside the carriage, and wipe both with a dry lint free cloth. Ink or dust across those contacts breaks the connection that tells the printer the tank is there. Two other things produce it. Some tanks ship with an orange protective cap or a strip of tape over the outlet or the contacts, and a new tank fitted with either still attached will not be recognised. And refilled or third party tanks carry chips the printer sometimes refuses to read, which presents as this code rather than as a compatibility warning; if every tank is genuine, seated and clean and one is still not seen, that tank is the fault rather than the printer.
Guides that cover this kind of fault
A guide written for 1660 itself is still being checked against the manufacturer's documentation. These cover the same underlying problem and are filed under ink & toner.
- Printer Not Printing After Changing Ink: Causes and FixesRemove any remaining protective tape from the new cartridge and firmly push it down until it clicks into place. If the printer still fails to print,...
- Printer Says Out of Ink But Cartridge Is Full: How to FixA printer showing empty when the cartridge is full usually means the electronic chip is not communicating properly or the internal page counter needs...
- How to Fix a Printer Not Recognizing an Ink CartridgeClean the gold electrical contacts on the cartridge and inside the carriage using a lint-free cloth moistened with isopropyl alcohol. If you are using...
Common questions
What does the 1660 error mean on a Canon printer?
An ink tank is not installed, or is installed and cannot be detected. The printer stops until the tank it names is seated properly, and unlike the head faults it is almost always something you can put right in a couple of minutes. Start with the tank the message names. Take it out and put it back, pressing until it clicks; a tank that is nearly home but not quite is the single most common cause, and it looks perfectly seated from above. If it still is not seen, look at the small contacts on the tank and at the matching ones inside the carriage, and wipe both with a dry lint free cloth. Ink or dust across those contacts breaks the connection that tells the printer the tank is there. Two other things produce it. Some tanks ship with an orange protective cap or a strip of tape over the outlet or the contacts, and a new tank fitted with either still attached will not be recognised. And refilled or third party tanks carry chips the printer sometimes refuses to read, which presents as this code rather than as a compatibility warning; if every tank is genuine, seated and clean and one is still not seen, that tank is the fault rather than the printer.
Is the 1660 error serious?
Not usually. Codes at this level normally clear once the condition they describe is dealt with, and a printer that carries on working afterwards has nothing further wrong with it.
Different code or problem?
Switch off and unplug a printer before reaching inside it. If a fault involves the power supply or internal electronics, or the machine is under warranty, contact the manufacturer or a qualified technician. Full disclaimer. Brand and code names are trademarks of their owners; PrinterFixUp is independent and unaffiliated.