A method and apparatus for detecting improper liquid content of a metering tip of an analyzer. The method detects the content or status using radiation between 630 and 2000 nm, and comprises the steps of: a) aspirating the liquid into one of the tips to fill the tip to a nominal level; b) scanning the liquid in the tip by a scanner (16) comprising a light source (18) and a light detector (26), the source and detector being aligned along a direction that is generally normal to the tip axis; c) providing relative motion between the tip and the scanner while the step b) is conducted, so that the scanner scans from a first position below the tip where a pendant drop of the aqueous liquid would be located if present, to a predetermined second position above the first position that represents the nominal level; d) while conducting steps b) and c), separately detecting at each of several portions of the tip between and including the first and second positions, the amount of light transmitted to the detector, so that all liquid-containing levels within the tip are detected; e) comparing the detected light of step d) with light known to be transmitted if liquid is present only at all of the levels, free of air bubbles; and f) flagging the results as being in error if water is detected at the first position; or if it is not detected because of air bubbles at any one of the levels within the tip up to and including the second position; or if it is detected above the second position.