Under what circumstance do I need to replace the printhead in my Canon Pixma ip90v printer? The print head may need replacing if the following happens after all printer head and ink tank troubleshooting has been performed. First, the nozzle test appears broken or to have horizontal white streaks; one or more of the colors is missing from the Nozzle Test; the colors are incorrect on the Nozzle Test; A print head error is indicated on the unit; the printer powers off when the print head is installed.