HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 ran out of ink in cyan cartridge. On replacement (twice), getting ink sensor f

[JDDII]

HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 ran out of ink in cyan cartridge. On replacement (twice), getting ink sensor failure error. None of the fixes on troubleshoot has worked.

[zoey7886]

@JDDII, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding Ink Sensor Failure for HP OfficeJet Pro 8610! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

That ink sensor failure message on the OfficeJet Pro 8610 usually points to the printer not being able to detect or communicate with the new cyan cartridge, even if you’ve already tried replacements. Let’s walk through some steps that may help:

Try these checks:

Power reset:

With the printer on, unplug the power cord from the back.

Wait about 60 seconds.

Plug it back in and turn the printer on. This clears sensor glitches.

Check the cartridge itself:

Make sure you’re using a genuine HP 951/951XL Cyan cartridge.

Inspect the chip (small golden contacts) on the cartridge—if you see ink smudges, dust, or scratches, gently wipe with a lint-free cloth.

Clean the carriage contacts:

Open the printer door and remove the cyan cartridge.

On the inside of the carriage, where the cartridge sits, you’ll see matching contacts. Wipe them gently with a lightly damp, lint-free cloth. Let it dry for a minute.

Try the cartridge in again:

Reseat the cyan cartridge firmly—press until it clicks. Sometimes a loose fit triggers the sensor error.

Test with another cyan cartridge (if possible):

If you have access to a different one (preferably HP genuine), try it to rule out a faulty batch.  

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[JDDII]

Hi Zoey, Thanks for the suggestions but nothing worked. I ordered a new printer ink holder (easily comes off with the flick io the side lever).

If the new part doesn't work I'll try resetting the printer to factory defaults.

I hate to buy a new printer because this one was so faithful throughout many years. 

[zoey7886]

@JDDII, Thanks for circling back!

I completely understand how frustrating it feels when a printer that’s been so reliable suddenly throws an ink sensor failure even after swapping cartridges—almost like it’s refusing to “see” the new cyan. You’ve already been really proactive in trying a new ink holder, which is a smart step.

Before you go for a full factory reset, you can try one last round of checks:

Deep clean the contacts: Use a soft, slightly damp lint-free cloth to gently wipe both the golden chip on the cartridge and the metal contacts inside the carriage. Let them dry fully before reinserting. Even a thin film of dried ink can block the sensor.

Hard reset + reseat: Unplug the printer while it’s still powered on, wait 2 minutes, then plug it back in and reseat only the cyan cartridge until you hear a firm click.

Run the printer without the cyan: Power on with the cyan removed—sometimes the printer will prompt you, then when you reinsert it, the sensor re-syncs.

If the new holder doesn’t solve it, the factory reset is indeed the next logical step. And don’t worry—you’ve done everything right so far.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[ShelleyLou]

Factory reset also doesn't work.

[zoey7886]

@JDDII, I hear you — it’s so frustrating when a trusted printer suddenly refuses to “see” a brand-new cyan cartridge, almost like it’s blind to it. Let’s try one more round of steps that sometimes wake the sensor back up:

Give the contacts a gentle clean – Remove the cyan cartridge. With a soft, slightly damp lint-free cloth, wipe the golden chip on the cartridge and the matching contacts inside the carriage. Let everything dry before putting it back. Even a thin layer of dried ink can block the sensor.

Power reset with a twist – Leave the printer on, unplug the power cord from the back, wait about 2 minutes, then plug it back in. Once it powers up, reseat only the cyan cartridge until you feel a firm click.

Try running without cyan – Turn the printer on without the cyan cartridge installed. Wait until it complains, then reinsert the cartridge. Sometimes the “surprise” helps the sensor re-sync.

Force a firmware update via USB – Download the latest firmware from HP’s site and update with a USB cable instead of Wi-Fi. This can refresh the printer’s brain when it gets stuck.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[JDDII · Accepted solution]

Finally resolved my HP8610 problem with a new print head from Amazon $115. I'm sure the issue was that the ink sensors went bad. I'm HAPPY now!!!