Canon Printer Error 6D01 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Canon error 6D01 is an ink delivery system error. The printer has detected a problem with how ink is flowing from the cartridges to the printhead. This is often caused by air in the ink lines, a clogged ink path, or a cartridge that is not providing ink correctly.

Affected Models

Canon Pixma G1010
Canon Pixma G2010
Canon Pixma G3010
Canon Pixma G4010
Canon Pixma G Series MegaTank

Common Causes

Air has entered the ink supply tubes, breaking the ink flow to the printhead
An ink tank is empty or nearly empty and air is being drawn in from the tank
The ink supply path has a clog from dried or thickened ink
An ink tank was removed and reinstalled incorrectly, introducing air into the system
The printer was tilted or moved while ink was in the lines, displacing ink and creating air gaps

How to Fix It

Check all ink tanks. Make sure every tank has ink in it — even a nearly empty tank can cause air to enter the system. Refill any tanks that are low before attempting further troubleshooting.

The Canon MegaTank system uses visible ink tanks. You can see the ink level directly. All tanks must have ink above the minimum line.
Perform an ink charging process from the printer's maintenance menu. This pushes fresh ink through the supply lines and purges any air bubbles trapped in the system.

On most Canon MegaTank models, go to Setup > Maintenance > Initial Ink Charging. Be aware this process uses a significant amount of ink.
If you recently moved or transported the printer, it may have been tilted. Let the printer sit level and undisturbed for 30 minutes to allow ink to settle before running the charging process.

Always transport Canon MegaTank printers in an upright position with the ink tanks on top, never on their side or upside down.
Check that all ink tank caps are closed and seated properly. An improperly capped tank will allow air to enter the system continuously, causing ongoing ink flow problems.

Each ink tank has a small rubber valve. Make sure the cap is pressed fully down and locked in place.
If ink charging does not clear the error, try a deep cleaning cycle. Go to Setup > Maintenance > Deep Cleaning. This uses more ink but applies stronger suction to dislodge clogs.

Run deep cleaning only once or twice — repeated deep cleaning wastes a large amount of ink without additional benefit if the underlying cause is air rather than a clog.

When to Call a Professional

If the ink charging process does not restore ink flow and error 6D01 persists, the ink tubes or pump may be damaged. Canon MegaTank printers are generally repairable at a reasonable cost due to their higher value. Contact Canon support with your model and serial number for service options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the MegaTank system get air in the ink lines?

The MegaTank uses open ink tanks that feed ink to the printhead through plastic tubes. If a tank runs dry, air gets sucked into the tube instead of ink. Moving the printer with ink in the tubes can also cause air gaps as ink sloshes away from the tube inlet.

The ink charging process used up a lot of ink. Is that normal?

Yes — the initial and repeat ink charging processes use a noticeable amount of ink. This is normal for inkjet printers with tube-fed ink systems. The MegaTank is designed to hold a large volume of ink so that a charging cycle does not waste a significant percentage of your total ink supply.

Can I use the printer if only one ink color is showing error 6D01?

Not reliably. Even if some colors are printing, the error indicates the ink delivery system is compromised. Continuing to print may cause more air to enter the lines or worsen the clog. Fix the error completely before resuming normal printing.