gkellerer Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

I have been using this lens for about 2 years now. I love it but all of a sudden I get this message Err 01 Communications between the camera and the lens is faulty. Clean the lens contacts.
I have cleaned the contacts. That is not it.
It will take the image as long as you are at f4.0. Anything other than that I get this message.
Has anyone else experienced this and did you resolve it. I love this lens and not sure I can afford to get another right now.
This is a Canon EFS 17-85
I should also say it does not matter if you turn off the IS and AF.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

This problem came up last year; here is the thread:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-11130-1.html

DaveMM Loc: Port Elizabeth, South Africa

I have had this error message twice on my 17-85 lens; at the same time it kept hunting for focus. It was the focus system in the lens that had failed. I have heard that these lenses (at least the early ones) had a weakness in this area.

The first time it was a few days out of warrantee but Canon South Africa repaired it at no cost.

The second time I was living in UK and it cost about £160 for the repair. It required at least three trips to the Canon-authorised repairer before it was right, costing nearly £10 for postage each time.

If I had known the trouble it was going to be, I would have scrapped the lens. It is now working well, but next time it fails, I will scrap it.

Good luck.