Does flaky LED illumination suggest I need to replace an old printer?

[PenguinLust]

Today I was surprised to find out that when I replaced the yellow cartridge, the LED stayed dark. Poking around, pulling it out, putting in back, etc. fixed the problem, but then the cyan went flaky too. Eventually I got them all working, but I'm wondering if this is just going to get worse and I need to finally move on? Or might it be that the chips (which are more readily replaceable) are dying. I mean, are they like incandescent light bulbs which can be working 100% and 1ms later are dead dark or are they like CFLs or LEDs which start to blink sometimes or reduce their output a little and for the next 3 weeks you're wondering if they really are dying?
In case you don't recognize "MG6120", I got it over 10 years ago. The scanner's colour is pretty bad, the wi-fi never worked properly, and now maybe this. I just hate replacing hardware that is still functional.

 

[PeterBJ]

I think there is a problem with the chip contact springs in the printhead carriage. You could try cleaning them with a Q-tip moistened with isopropyl alcohol or an electronics contact cleaner. You should also clean the contact surfaces on the chips with isopropyl alcohol or an electronics contact cleaner.

Do not use any water based cleaners. Water is conductive and water remnants could cause damage to the chips or the printer. I once spilled ink onto the chip of a CLI-551 M refillable cartridge. I wiped the chip clean, but water or ink still present on the chip ruined the chip when I inserted the cartridge in the printer. Luckily the printer wasn't damaged.

 

[PenguinLust]

The thing about alcohol is it absorbs water. Not only that but rubbing alcohol that's 100% is unheard of. I don't even think we have 90%. Is 70% enough?

 

[PeterBJ]

You are right, a concentrated alcohol like 99% isopropyl alcohol attracts water and acts as a desiccant that can make matters worse if you try to use it for printhead cleaning.

But used on a Q-tip to clean contact surfaces 99% isopropyl alcohol evaporates before it can attract water, so there is no risk of it attracting water and leaving a conductive residue. I don't know how the 70% rubbing alcohol will behave.

Isopropyl alcohol and rubbing alcohol is not the same. I recommend the use of 99% isopropyl alcohol, instead of 70% rubbing alcohol. It is easily available in Denmark, I don't know about Canada. If you cannot obtain it I recommend the use of an electronics contact cleaner. It is safe for plastics, causes no corrosion and leaves no conductive residue.