To provide a printing/recording apparatus in which a recorder can automatically judge a mounting condition of a heat-radiation pad of a motor driver without using a tool such as an X-ray detection device or a thermometer, and to provide a method for printing/recording.

This printing/recording apparatus comprises the heat radiation pad, a motor drive circuit, a motor driver IC having the motor drive circuit and a temperature sensor formed on an identical chip of the motor drive circuit, an operation button, a carrier motor for conveying a printing/recording head in a main scanning direction, and a line feed motor for conveying a recording medium. The printing/recording apparatus further comprises a temperature change monitor means that monitors change of the temperature of the motor driver IC detected by the temperature sensor by driving at least one of the carrier motor and the line feed motor for a prescribed time period by applying power greater than that in a normal printing/recording operation in response to the operation of the operation button.