I keep getting error message ink system failure. Everything I tried does not work. It is only 1 year old. What else can I try?

This is an Ink System Failure message. I would try this guide. 'Ink System Failure' or a '0x...' or a 'C2...' Error Message Displays on the Front Panel. To help resolve the issue.
If that doesn't work, please call our technical support at 800-474-6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/hpsupport/index.pl.

Hi there
Solution 1:

1. Press and hold "left arrow" key
2. Press the "setup" key and release both keys
3. Press and release the "OK" button
4. Press and release the right arrow button until the display says “System Configuration Menu”. 2. Press and release the “OK” button.
5. Display should say “Hardware failure status”. If not there already, Arrow Key over to “Hardware failure status”,
6. Press and release the “OK” button.
7. Display should say “Hardware failure status: Clear. Press OK to clear”.
8. Press and release the “OK” Button. Message changes to “Hardware failure status Cleared. Press Cancel to continue”.
9. Press and release the “CANCEL” button as many times as necessary, so that, either the “Welcome to Photosmart Express” screen appears, or, the “Ink System Failure” screen appears. PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO PRINT AT THIS STAGE.
10. Using the Power Button, turn the unit OFF and unplug the power cable from back of the printer and wall outlet.
11. Wait 30 seconds for the power to get discharged and then plug the power cable into the wall outlet first and then into the back of the printer
12. Turn the unit on. The printer may display message “USE POWER BUTTON TO SHUTDOWN THE PRINTER” followed by “PRESS OK TO CONTINUE”. Press OK.
13. If the printer has already initialized, then go to the next step. If not, the printer will start the “ONE TIME INK INITIALIZATION PROCESS”. Allow this process to complete and do not interrupt. Once the initialization process is complete, the printer will print out a Diagnostic Page.
14. To verify printer functionality print a SELF TEST PAGE. If SELF TEST prints, then printer is ready for use or Software Installation.
15. If the error is still there, or reoccurs the printer is already defective.
Solution 2:
1. Press the On button to turn the printer off.
2. Unplug the power cord from the back of the printer.
3. Remove all the ink cartridges.
4. Wait two minutes.
5. Plug the power cord into the back of the printer.
6. Press the On button to turn the printer on.
7. Install the ink cartridges when prompted.

Please come back and just gave a vote, it will gave me some satisfaction to know am helping some one so I will keep on helping.

All The Best: Pineworks

release the right arrow button until the display says “System Configuration Menu”. (on C8100 use Touch Screen)
2. Press and release the “OK” button.
3. Display should say “Hardware failure status”. If not there already, Arrow Key over to “Hardware failure status”,
4. Press and release the “OK” button.
5. Display should say “Hardware failure status: Clear. Press OK to clear”.
6. Press and release the “OK” Button. Message changes to “Hardware failure status Cleared. Press Cancel to continue”.
7. Press and release the “CANCEL” button as many times as necessary, so that, either the “Welcome to Photosmart Express” screen appears, or, the “Ink System Failure” screen appears. PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO PRINT AT THIS STAGE.
8. Using the Power Button, turn the unit OFF and unplug the power cable from back of the printer and wall outlet.
9. Wait 30 seconds for the power to get discharged and then plug the power cable into the wall outlet first and then into the back of the printer
10. Turn the unit on. The printer may display message “USE POWER BUTTON TO SHUTDOWN THE PRINTER” followed by “PRESS OK TO CONTINUE”. Press OK.
11. If the printer has already initialized, then go to the next step. If not, the printer will start the “ONE TIME INK INITIALIZATION PROCESS”. Allow this process to complete and do not interrupt. Once the initialization process is complete, the printer will print out a Diagnostic Page.
12. To verify printer functionality print a SELF TEST PAGE. If SELF TEST prints, then printer is ready for use or Software Installation.
13. If the error is still there, or reoccurs replace the unit

have you unpluged it from the outlet? can you see any paper stuck?
otherwise you have a bad system board and would cost more to fix than just to by a new one.

I get the ink system failure message on my hp c7180 as well as an error code of oxc18a0306.

Hi I found this I know your error not in here but it may work for It worth a try nothing to lose and it may work. I know your error code is not in this but it some times it clean the error with this type of error number you can gave it a go try not harm it Error code: 0xc18a0201, 0xc18a0206, 0xc18a0306, 0xc18a030a, 0xd0620130, 0x887dd03a, 0xd05d010d, 0xf0af8004, 0xc19ac3ff, 0xc18a050...

Reset the product:
1. Without turning off the product, disconnect the USB cable from the rear of the product.
2. Remove the cartridges from the product.
3. Wait for the 'Insert Cartridges ' message to display on the control panel.
4. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the product.
5. Wait 60 seconds.
6. Reconnect the power cord. If the product does not automatically turn on, press the Power button ( ).
7. Reinsert the cartridges, and then close any open doors on the product.
8. If you receive a prompt to print a calibration page, do so.
9. Reconnect the USB cable to the rear of the product, and then try printing again.
Please come back and just gave a vote, it will gave me some satisfaction to know am helping some one so I will keep on helping.
All The Best: Pineworks

I believe your printer is over. There is no fix for this type of issue. I had the printer for 1 year, used it for about 100 pages, changed a couple cartridges and got the failure ink system message. As one of the answers I received it is a bad design in the these types of HP inkjet printers. I will be putting it in the garbage!!!!.. No more HP for me. HP help desk is no good. They want you to purchase another machine.

Turning the printer on and off will not solve your problem. If you get ink system failure you most likely have air in your ink system. This will happen after months of use -every ink cartridge you reload and purge will have a little bit of air trapped in it and over time it must add up. You have to do a system reset which causes your printer to start over and do a full purge of ink through your system. This is what happens when you do your first ink system set up when you open install new ink cartridges. To do a ink system reset you must first:

1. After your printer gives you a ink system failure you will need to press and hold down ok and cancel at the same time and then press the start button once. (make sure you hold the cancel and ok down until the system shuts down and then release).

2.Now (Again) hold the cancel and ok Button down and and press the on button again -making sure to keep holding down the cancel and ok until it shuts itself down again. It will seem like it is starting up again up will then just shut off. Now once it has shut off for the second time (It is VERY important that you have a new set of ink cartridges installed before turning on the system for the second time) This is because it will do a full ink purge and rid the trapped air in the system. If you have old ink in it or almost empty it will most likely not purge enough. A new set of ink works best- You can go back to your old ink after if you like and keep the "new" set for back up when the system fails again down the road (it will fail again -this is poor designing by HP).

3.Now once you have shut down the system and loaded a fresh set of ink (all 6 of the ink cartriges) you can now press the on button (at this time you should get a reset code the come on first and the printer will run its purging of the air and new ink.

4. You might have to do this more then once to rid all the air out of the system-keep trying and after 2 -3 times it will stop giving you the ink failure. I have fixed my printer many times by this fix for many years.

Good Luck!