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.

[ReverseEMF]

This is probably a coincidence.  I didn't update the firmware [at least not knowingly] on my MP530 and it succumbed.  Though, perhaps the firmware that it came with, was newer than the firmware in your Pixma 610 before you updated.  If so, then it's possible this is a problem introduced in a "recent" firmware update, and perhaps a "fix' [or workaround] is to load the printer with an earlier version of the firmware.  If one of you who are monitoring this thread, manage to test this, please let us all know. 😉

[Aardvark]

When my MP560 displayed the error there was no way to do anything further, including trying to change, remove, or update drivers or anything. Game over. A shame Canon deleted the photo of my printer with the sledgehammer in the middle.

[ReverseEMF]

"A shame Canon deleted the photo of my printer with the sledgehammer in the middle."

Would have liked to see that 😉

[dthompson]

Returned from a weeks holiday and tried to use printer MP640. UO52 code appeared. Followed all solutions with no success.

Will Canon pay for the repair? If not I`ll be buying a new printer of a different make. Sad, as always used Canon to date.

Disappointed to see this is a common problem but even more disappointed to see that apparently Canon won`t do anything about this.

[Skyking1]

I used to have an HP and when it broke down they suggested I buy a new one. Never bought a single HP product since.

[ej23]

MP560 here. Same thing as everyone else.

Tried all the solutions and fixes. Bought new cartridges-$50 for nothing! Very frustrating.

Based on what I've read here, I am thinking that purchasing Canon products in the future is something I won't be doing.

1st Canon printer for me, and looks like the last!

Should have gone with an epson.

I'll be interested in seeing how Canon handles this.

[ej23]

Well, at this point I've been offered free ink, and the recommendation that I purchase a new printer, with a discount.-

$125.00

Buy another printer that is going to crap out on me in three years

(before buying this canon printer, the last printer, I had was a much cheaper HP model  that I got as a bonus for buying a computer, and it lasted close to ten years! Not to mention that i used it a lot more than the canon that I bought)

Thanks for my options Canon.

I'm surprised I wasn't offered a loyality price on a bag of magic beans.

Thanks Canon.

[Iowakim]

I've just encountered the horrible print head error message. I was replacing my ink for the second time and it has already messed up. No issues until I replaced the cartridges with canon ink.

Anyone find any solutions? What a waste of my money, I can't even use the scanner.

[dthompson]

Buy a different brand. I`ve just purchased a new printer. Needless to say wasn`t a Canon.

[Momodee]

Just bought a new printer today, also.  NOT A CANON!