Call to Arms for the dreaded U052 Wrong Printhead Error

[macnicol]

This is a "call to arms" for all of you Canon customers who have had this problem and have had their printers disabled because of it.  Please respond with the model of your printer and if you were able to fix it, what you did to fix it. 

We need to put pressure on Canon to respond this product defect.  It appears to be bad firmware that does not allow the user to override the problem and to continue to use the printer even in a degraded mode.  From my investigations the problem is NOT a printhead issue - no way one can be printing fine and then have this error alert without having changed the printhead or ink cartridges!

Canon, PLEASE take this issue seriously and provide a solution across the affected models.  If nothing else there should be a trade-in allowance for those printers that have been affected by this product defect.

I have had many Canon printers because they have superior functional specifications. I want to be able to continue using Canon products but only if I can have confidence that this product defect will not destroy my investment.

If Canon is unresponsive our next step should be to aggressively publisize this product defect on social media and on major product vendor outlet sites as negatives reviews.

Forum Users, please reply with your affected model number(s) and with details of any succdessful fix procedure.

[seniorelder]

If only... But the majority of us are stuck in the land of the terminally failed Canon printer with no responsible manufacturer in sight to help us... Glad it worked for you though!

[HaloU052]

Ok, so I've located the replacement print head that my unit requires....(QY6-0080-000B) and it's 20% more than the cost of the printer itself. I understand that these are finely tuned machines and instead of having to have a print head calibrated by a technician it is far more practically to have a new one just installed. To any of the canon gods if you happen to be listening. Could it be people using off brand ink replacement cartridges that's triggered the error? And if so, is it some sort of proprietary failsafe(to ensure the quality and lifespan of the product) although it feels like a 150 dollar finger being aimed my direction. Is it possible to get assistance? I'm willing to purchase a new print head(although I believe an exchange program
wouldn't be outside the realm of reasonable and fair) but I would hate to "break" the new print head in the process of installing it . [MOD NOTE - REMOVED EMAIL PER FORUM GUIDELINES] I hope you can help me. Thank you

[cfed]

Hi Halo,

I too received the error after using aftermarket ink cartridges. However, I am not convinced this is the root cause as other folk posted in the forum that they only used canon cartridges and got the dreaded error. I don't know if the root cause is software or hardware that's causing it.

[SAYNOTOCANON]

Hello and Welcome.....

[SAYNOTOCANON]

......(deleted, deleted, deleted).......

[Susanne]

I'm also a victim of that dreaded error message. Model PIXMA MP520. I am in Germany.

I have always used the Canon ink partridges. The error came after nothing had changed, I had not replaced the ink in months, never even opened the hood, and one day out of the blue it says the printhead is incorrect. How can it be?

The idea to inform consumer magazines in print and television is good.

German TV actually already showed a report about exactly this kind of occurrence, that out of the blue a printer doesn't work anymore. Unfortunately, this was not only true for Canon, but for other brands as well. I hope Brother was not among them. It seems that Brother gets the best reviews here.

The sad thing is, I was going to buy an expensive new camera and was wavering between Panasonic and Canon. I've had only Canon cameras so far. I was inclinded to stick with the familiar, but now I am in serious doubt. I need a brand that offers good customer service. I had a minor problem with my canon printer before, and never got a reply from their service center about it. Bad customer service is the best way to lose customers.

If it is true what the German TV program reported, this is not a problem of the printhead, but an in-built error to induce the consumer to buy a new printer. So all the repairwork in the world is not going to fix this.

I feel very helpless as a consumer, but would endorse any steps as writing reviews, informing consumer rights organisations etc.

Susanne

[cfed]

Hi Susanne,

Is there a link to the German program discussing the printer errors?

[Susanne]

Hi cfed,

I've googled the german key words "geplante obsoleszenz", there are many results. Apparently, various TV programs have since broadcast reports about this. It doesn't only concern printers, but all sorts of electronics. I'm sure, the key words planned obsolescence will give you plenty English results.

The French/German public station ARTE has a prize-winning documentary "Buying for the trash bin". "Kaufen für die Müllhalde." It's from 2011. It was broadcast in 25 countries. (Check wikipedia if interested.) The link to the more than 1-hour program is here

http://www.arte.tv/de/kaufen-fuer-die-muellhalde/3714422,CmC=3714270.html

You can find various programs on you tube as well. Stern-TV from the channel RTL also had a report about this in 2012, with the founder of "Murks-nein-danke.de".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiH4Dh2jSWc 

I found a 10 min. video on youtube where someone explains exactly how this specific Canon printer error message about the incorrect printhead comes about - very informative, but alas, no solution.It explains how the Canon printer uses up ink even if you don't use for months.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuqfC8BEM7A specific about Canon printerin German or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6oRIBraoaE in English.

However, and that's the sad thing, unless consumers stand up and bring action to the manufacturers, there seems to be no solution. I wish it was just Canon and I could switch to a competitor and that would be the end of it. But if all the brands do the same thing (and apparently they do), what choices do I have as a consumer?

By the way, from the documentaries I watched, high-priced products are just as bad as low-priced ones. So buying "better quality" won't protect you from the planned obsolescence.

Just out of principle, I will stay away from Canon products now. Maybe one or two manufacturers will find this as a niche to market their products: New - no in-built obsolescence in our products - buy our brand!

Susanne

[stuffed1printer]

Thanks for the link to the Youtube video of dismantled Canon printer. I too pulled mine apart before putting in bin. I came across the little tubes that suck the ink; not sure how it happens if the printer is turned off unless it creates residual vacuum that keeps the inkhead damp with ink. Whatever! seems to be a design fault that cannot be fixed unless the cartridges carry the printhead themselves. I seem to remember a printer, either Epsom or Brother that had the printhead in the cartridge so a new cartridge solved the problem. Possibly you do not get such a quality of print with this method. Perhaps a colour laser is the way to go. Multifunctions should be avoided so that when the printing stops your scanning and software doesn't. Buy a stand alone printer and know that  inkjet technology will not allow a long productive life. That way you can buy generic inks with impunity and avoid large costs; dump the printer when it gives an error code. Perhaps somebody knows a printer scanner fax setup that is in seperate modules.

[FitzBjorn]

Same problem as above.  MP600, worked perfectly, turned off for 4 weeks, turned on and U052 error appears.

Tried all of Canon's troubleshooting tips:  replacing / cleaning ink cartridges, reseating print head, powering down, disconnecting from power, data, etc., all to no avail.

Called (800) OK-CANON and was told that U052 is not really caused by a print head error, but a defective circuit board.  Was given the option to repair or replace at my expense.

It appears that many forum members have received a higher level of customer service from Canon than I was afforded today by the telephone representative.  Here's hoping that Canon makes things right for me as well.