epson printer WP-4020 ink leak problem - disassembly

I show how to disassemble the WP-4020 printer to examine the source of the leaking yellow (or other color) ink. This may or may not be fixable but I doubt it. May also apply to the WP-4511 WP-4515 WP-4521 WP-4525 WP-4530 WP-4531 WP-4540 WP-4545.
Thank you for LIKING my video.

[michaelsarrafian]

Just happened to me yesterday with a printer that I bought in 2012. Found this video and called Epson support as suggested. They will be sending me a new replacement and even told me don't bother to return the defective unit. Epson support was professional an very courteous. Awesome to deal with support like this! Great job Epson.

[MaddMyke]

To provide a current (as of May 2015) comment to this video - I too have the leaking ink issue with a WP-4020 after about 2.5 years of use. I called Epson a few minutes ago and they are going to provide a replacement printer with 2 sets of ink cartridges. Very impressed with the way they are backing up this product! This kind of (rare) service will keep me as an Epson customer.

[samgalah]

Hi, I have the same problem with my WP 4530 printer that is now about 2 1/2 years old.  I have contacted the Epson support centre by phone with my serial No. ( I registered it when I bought it) and within 10 minutes they had emailed me a reply stating that they are going to replace my printer with a new one, the latest WP-4630 model, as the WP 4530 is now obsolete.  Now considering that the printer is out of warranty I reckon that is bloody good service AND recognition that the problem is very real. WELL DONE, EPSON !

Peter of Adelaide.

[larryb]

Thanks George. I'm working on a WP-4540 that I got for a song, same yellow ink problem. To remove the scanner assembly from the top you will need a hook tool to pull off the 4 electrical connectors located just above the USB/ethernet ports at the back.

[fromheaven]

Thanks for posting. Same problem, here, with WF-4535 (3.5 years old).
Called the Epson service center in the NL. Epson sent me a new printer
WF-4630 pronto, free of charge. That's the attitude that builds customer
loyalty, even when products fail to perform. Was good to be able to refer to these similar cases. Cheers!

[scottshoemake]

I have a WP-4530 - same yellow ink problem. Called Epson based on the recommendations here and they were very helpful in working thru a similar replacement. Created a CC hold of $179.99... just a heads up, they are asking for the replaced printer to be returned. They sound like they will even be helping out with the extra ink cartridge (new and unopened) I have since the new printers don't use this ink. I can't be happier with Epson right now, very happy with this level of support. It's actually over the top even. That said, they must know there is an issue with those ink lines.

[cliffordcummings]

Thanks George for posting this information. April 2018 Update. My WP-4020 has the same problem and this is clearly a design defect, Epson no longer replaces these printers, so previous posters should be glad that their printer failed within the warranty period. My response to Epson:

I am not satisfied with Epson's response to this problem. I am having large yellow streaks and globs of yellow ink show up when I print. I purchased the printer in 2012 and the wireless quit working within two years. I compensated by connecting the Epson to an hp en3700 Network connection to USB port and connected the USB port to my printer. This has worked fine until the recent yellow globs and streaking (I can send scans if requested).

The service representative had me perform four print-head tests and three print head cleanings and each time I noted the large yellow streaks, which would not be a print-head cleaning issue (I already performed these procedures back when I first noticed the yellow globing). This was a waste of time.


This certainly appears to be a design defect and unfortunately my product did not exhibit the defect early enough to have the problem properly resolved.

I wasted an extra 676XL Yellow cartridge trying to resolve the problem, plus I still have the other color and black cartridges in the printer, plus I have two unopened cartridges (Magenta and Black) all of which probably cost more than the printer and are now unusable.

The 15% coupon is hardly a appropriate response for a product design defect. A 15% coupon plus a set of new print cartridges is the least that should be offered.

This was my first Epson purchase and I now know that Epson will not recall and fix an obvious product defect (based on the number of comments and videos about this same problem).

Regards - Cliff Cummings

[markmanning]

George - You are the ONLY person I have seen who has shown how to take the Epson WP-4020 apart.  Thank GOD you did so.  I have the problem of I turned off my printer over six months ago when I started my new job and only recently tried turning it back on.  Of course all of the ink had dried on the print head.  I was at a loss on how to take the thing apart so I could use a toothbrush on the print head to clean it.  Now at last I'll be able to get the thing open.  If you get the chance - can you tell me anything I might need to know about getting the print head off?  There are a lot of screws in there than I can see through the door.  So I am assuming there are a lot of them to keep track of.  So any insights would be helpful.  Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.  :-)

Ugh.  I thought I was liking YOUR comments and instead I liked my own.  Just not my day I guess.  :-/

[cindyallison]

Thank you George!!! This is my second Epson WP-4010  The first one would not feed the paper to be printed. The wheel was broken. this time it is bleeding yellow. I called them and they are sending me a replacement. I do have to send the defective printer back. it will be free to shop is back witch is great. Thank you so much for the disassembly tutorial. it was a big help. ps i love taking things apart to see how they work and if they are broke I like to see if I can fix them. 

[davidtrufant]

My w 4020 was not working and would die and all of the lights would light and not quit.  I followed your dismantle and eventually found my machine's problem.  An optical wheel beneath a panel under the ink reservoirs had some dust on it... I suppose to some minor rubbing.  I cleaned the dust off and my machine is working again!  Thanks for your great, clear directions with your great comments.

[namulit]

I'm in Italy here and my WP-4525 (warranty expired November 2012) developed this problem over the last months (first it leaked only tiny little drops of yellow ink but last week with a new refill it began loosing massive amounts of ink). I contacted Epson support via online chat and was readily advised that I could bring it to their next service center and that it would be repaired free of charge in case it had developed that specific breakdown. Since the next service center is not far from my home I didn't inquire for other means of transportation and simply dropped the printer off there myself; they had a lot of these printers there, btw. Picked it up again a week later and it has indeed been repaired free of charge. I am glad since I still have 100€ worth of ink cartridges I couldn't use in any other printer!So if you have one of these printers give the Epson support a call.

[mauriziadebiasio]

Thank you so much for posting everyone...if it was not for the comments I would have gone out and buy another printer, but because of everyones comments, I called and now Epson is sending me a new printer for free!  Got to Love Espson - excellent service.  I will be sticking with Epson for now on.

[kelleyderiemer]

I was all excited to be able to watch the video to help me FIX the problem. Little did I know that it only got me through the maze of taking the unit apart (albeit, it was fun to do). The best info was reading all the fellow responses of the common leaking ink problem and their resolutions, i.e., call Epson. I just did and they will be sending me a new, upgraded version of this printer at no cost to me. The best part is I don't have to put the printer back together again. My kitchen counter looks like Humpty Dumpty with printer parts. Thanks everyone for chipping in.

[halwidsten]

I am writing this on April 5, 2015.  We purchased a WP-4530 in 2012 and began experiencing the ink leakage problem a couple weeks ago. Ours was leaking blue ink.   After reading George's comment,   I called the Epson support number, and to my surprise they are sending us a refurbished 4520 for free, even though our original machine is out of warranty.  This is an exchange, so they asked for a credit card number which will not be charged unless we do not return our original machine, and they are paying for shipping.  This ink leakage problem must encompass a lot of machines for them to offer this, but I am impressed that they would stand behind their product.  In the past we have had trouble with the printers from other large companies (think two letters) and they refused to do anything.  Until the ink leak, this printer has performed very well so if they've solved the problem we are pleased to continue using one.  Our experience with refurbished products is they often perform better than new ones.  Thank you, Epson!   And to readers of a good idea to register your product with the manufacturer....I believe that helped in this case.

[oddjoblarry]

Same exact printer, same exact problem.  Called Epson this morning and they are mailing me a new one with new ink.  Thank you for the post and info!

[johnl]

Hi, I have managed to repair a WP-4545 using a Hot Glue gun. I first had to clean the area until dry, then using the hot glue gun seal all the way around the yellow Ink well and then making sure the plastic cover is well glued. I then did all the other colours while i had the opportunity. Printer is now working well,

[BryanHancocks]

Happy result 2016!

Moved my Wp-4535 (4 year old) to check for a 'paper jam' to fin a small pool of Yellow ink on the lefthand side. So having found this video, I phoned EpsonUK Support. The call was quick, but as it is a Buisness machine I had to wait a few hours for them to phone back. They just asked a couple of question to check where the ink was coming from and dispatched a replacement unit in '2 working days'. Courier to pick up the old machine.

[iansoper]

Many thanks to you George. You made disassembly of my WP-4020 easy work! Very helpful video. My WP-4020 is back up and running beautifully.

[catherineleathers]

I am kind of amazed. I just called EPSON support. We have had a blue ink leaking onto our printer pages in the past week. We have a WP 4020 that is over 5 years old. EPSON is sending us a refurbished unit at no charge. No exchange necessary. That is customer service!

[aris]

This is very good demonstration. This is very similar construction in Epson WF-5690, WF-4630, WF-4640. There is clearly a design flaw with these long ink supply line printer models and it is not easily fixable. It seems that there gets high pressure when the printhead cloggs and after some time this junction fails and leaks ink. I wonder if it would be possible to cut out the clogged supply line somewhere in the middle, and use cleaning kit from the cut supply line to clean the printhead?