Customer sues Canon for disabling scan function when printer ink runs out
A New Yorker has filed a class action lawsuit against Canon because the company allegedly disables scanning and faxing when the printer’s ink runs out. According to the chief prosecutor, an all-in-one printer must also be able to perform those functions without ink.
Prosecutor David Leacraft represents at least a hundred and, he estimates, thousands of victims in the class action, according to court documents published by The Register. “No ink is required for the scan and fax functions. Ink does not improve the performance of these functions. Associating the scan and fax functions with the presence of ink in an all-in-one printer does not provide any benefit other than of harming and financially damaging consumers,” the indictment reads. If the court in New York agrees with Leacraft, the American branch of Canon must pay at least almost 4.3 million euros to victims.
Leacraft bought a Canon Pixma MG2522 All-in-One printer from Walmart in March to use it to scan and fax documents. He says he would not have bought the device if he knew that scanning and faxing would no longer be possible when the printer ink has run out. According to the complainant, Canon makes misleading advertising and the company should have been transparent about disabling the functions.
The New York court emphasizes that it is not just about the Canon Pixma MG2522. Other brand’s all-in-one printers would also be unable to scan and fax in the absence of ink. The court document lists the following Canon printers:
- Canon Maxify GX7020 and GX6020
- Canon Pixma TS3520, TS9520, TS6420, TS3320, TS8320, TS6320 and TS9521C
- Canon Pixma G3260, G7020 and G2260
- Canon Pixma TR4520, TR7020, TR7520, TR8520 and TR8620
- Canon Pixma MG3620 and MG2522
- Canon Pixma MX452 and MX330