Cleaning How can i remove the black head cleaning carriage on the right of the printer in order to get to the little black pipe which seems to be blocked and needs ideally to be removed to clean? The carriage seems to be attached by two pegs to the side panel of the printer so I can't move it enough to get to the pipe?

Not much to go on. If you mean the black cartridge is not giving any ink, and the printer does not say the cartridge is empty you still have a problem. But it is possible to solve.
If I'm guessing right, remove the cartridge with the black ink and look in the printhead. You see the little pipe sticking up, where the black ink is going in. with a dropper, just do a few drops of cleaning fluid on that pipe and replace the cartridge. Than let the printer print some black pages, till the black ink is coming through.
It also could be the cartridge with the black ink is empty or dried. If you shake (take care you will spray ink if you don't seal the ink outlet) and you don't hear any ink in the cartridge, unless what the computer or printer thinks it still is empty.

Open the main cover so the cartridges/head moves into the centre. Pull out the mains lead so the machine is dead. Gently push the carriage all the way to the left. Shine a torch into the right side of the machine (where the carriage normally parks itself). You will see the purge unit. look on it to see if there is any paper stuck on it. It will be soaked in ink. Remove the soaked paper and perform normal cleaning once more.If this does not solve the problem then a new print head is required.

After you install a print cartridge, the attention light begins toflash red. The printer will not print. One of the following messagesmay appear on the control panel:

* Color or Right Print Cartridge is not compatible
* Incorrect Print Cartridge(s)
* Print Cartridge Problem
* Incorrectly Installed Cartridge(s)
* Black or Color Cartridge(s) Failed

Cleaning the connection and reconnecting may solve the issue


Solution :
To solve the problems related to Cartridge Errors we can do the following 4 steps. Which could help us to get the issue resolved

Step 1: Remove, inspect, and reset the problem cartridge
Step 2: Clean the problem cartridge contacts
Step 3: Repeat repeating and cleaning steps
Step 4. CONTACT TO HP SUPPORT


Step : Remove, inspect, and reseat the problem cartridge and Clean the problem cartridge contacts..

a) Make sure the printer is on. Press the Power button if it is not lit.

b) Open the printer cover, then wait until the print cartridge carriage is idle and silent

c) Press down lightly on the end of the problem cartridge to release it.

d) Slide the cartridge out and inspect it:
* Check the Copper electrical contacts (the Copper Part which touch the Connector inside)
* Clean it with the pirit or wet cotton)
* Check the Nozzles - Clean it with the worm wet cotton
* Wait for 2 to 5 min befour you connect them back
* Clean the contacts in the carriage, inside the product (Printer)
* Reinstall the cartridge.
* Reconnect the product to the electrical outlet.
* Close the product cover.

NOTE : you can also check the print cartridge label and make sure it iscompatible with your printer. Compatible print cartridges are listed inthe Printer Reference Guide supplied with your printer.

Note : If the cartridge is compatible, reinstall it in the printer:
* Cartridges marked with a triangle go into the left carriage slot.
* Cartridges marked with a square or pentagon go into the right carriage slot.

If issue not resolves Repeat repeating and cleaning steps

Your black ink must be empty replace with a new one and print.

take your ink cartridge out from your printer. you can see at the ink carriage there are little pipes where the ink usually flow from cartridge. If head cleaning and power cleaning does not work, then try to clean those pipes by using 96% alcohol fluids and **** the pipes using something.

Turn off printer. Open Case. Move head carriage to parking position. Do suction from outlet pipe of head cleaning mechanic. It's for checking head. is there ink out? If printer not used for long time, may be ink inside head dried. Utility screen just show estimated not actually. If head clog, and do head cleaning more 5 times, screen show ink nearly out, but actually ink tank nearly full.

Have you tried a cleaning cycle? If not, try one. Now run a nozzle check using the status monitor (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select nozzle check). Is there any sign of ink on the paper. Try up to three cleaning cycles. If ink is now flowing, but not yet perfectly, don't carry out any more cleaning cycles. Just leave the printer for 24 hours (to allow any air in the print head to disperse). Then repeat the cleaning cycle/wait process. It may take a while to restore a perfect nozzle check print. If these actions produce no positive results, report back.

Remove cartridges first.
Buy an head cleaning kit, or a head cleaning solution.
Squirt a little solution onto the ink pads where the ink cartridge sit and wait for the solution to get absorbed.
After doing this try gently to move the head.
It may not work at first chance do the cleaning a couple of times
If this still does not work, there should be a grey locking lever in the front of the carriage for the print head. You should be able to pull up gently on the left side tab and release the top of the carriage and pull out the head completely. If it does not come you will need to use more cleaning solution.
Once you pulled head out put beck the head in place and ensure it moves smoothly. If it does not, you may need to change the printer head.

Regards

The print head is the black plastic bracket at the back and bottom of the unit that holds the ink cartridges - it looks like one piece but its actually two. Remove the four ink cartridges and the just pull the back of the black plastic unit forward and lift out. There are no clips and it comes out effortlessly.

After entering my posting earlier today, I did some more internet searching on this problem. I found a helpful British website that listed a trick for cleaning the printer carriage area. It's a little more than halfway down the page, if you click on this link, http://www.valueshop.co.uk/printing.asp

Here is what they suggested:
"1. OPEN printer so the cartridges move to center of the carriage.
2. REMOVE all cartridges.
3. FOLD a letter size piece of paper in half, and then in half again the other way so it is quartered.
4. START with the long, folded edge and insert into front of printer where paper normally feeds out. (it will slip in a little over halfway)
5. MOVE the paper left and right to remove any excess ink under the carriage. When the excess ink is removed the printer should print streak-free. "

I tried this (actually used 3 or 4 pieces of paper because it was pretty grungy), and I can print without bands of gray now. Although, the colors are not as vibrant as they used to be, neither is the black. (My holiday newsletter looks good enough to send out, at least.)

After cleaning the printer carriage area, I ran the nozzle check pattern test again and it still looks bad. I then cleaned and realigned the print head, and again the nozzle check pattern continues to look bad. The user manual for the F60 (page 10-5)said that if the nozzle check pattern does not improve after a deep cleaning then the printhead may be damaged. I called Canon tech support and they think that the printhead is probably damaged, but they suggested that I take it to an authorized Canon repair shop, which is too far away, and probably too much trouble. My other option is to order a new printhead directly from Canon for $45 plus $6 shipping and install it myself (or make hardware engineer hubby do it ;-) ).

Hopefully this trick for cleaning the printer carriage area will help others at least for the short term, like it helped me. Good luck!