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.

[puppylove]

ChrisReay, you probably didn't read that far back but we have tried and they delete all our posts and ignore us.

I left a very calm and factual message and they told me to email them my info. I did twice over 2 weeks and was ignored completely. Then left a follow up message twice a week for 3 weeks asking them to please check their email/messages as I had done what they instructed with no response - and ALL 3 were deleted. I have been completely ignored via their page, their messages and in email now for over a month.

They have also come here and delted many of our posts (about 6 members have reported this)

Their reaction and lack of concern makes the situation worse. Why not come here, address and admit the issue, and offer to replace with refurbished units at least? Is that not worth keeping us as customers? Guess not.

[RenuNergy]

One primary objective for any long lasting organization is to satisfy its customers and that satisfaction can be quantified in the quality of the product that the organization produces and the ability to recognize and correct your problems.

i.e. Six Sigma and it's continuous improvement model

Some of these idealistic business virtues have been lost due to legal liabilities and the fear of losing one's highly paid job if not the devastation that could be caused by admitting there is a known error.

Time will only tell what the right decision was on Canon's part in addressing this matter. As an outside observer I see the mounting list of Former Canon Loyalist who now have switched to other printer Manufacturers. And there is no real way of determining the effect of these comments and feeling except by analyzing orders coming in from valued resellers who may only order new Canon printers should their existing stock decline based on new purchases.  There will be fewer new purchases if the word is revealed that the Printers experience a catastrophic error when the warranty expires because of some integrated error or a possible ink sucking/filled ink pad issue.

Canon like any major business organization needs to protect its market share in this printer sector and these disgruntled owners, of who I'm one of, may only seem like a small blip on the radar screen. But to Canon: We only represent a small portion of the owners who have experienced this problem. I'm sure that there are multitudes more who have also experienced it but don't have the insight to check the internet, address their concern and dismay on this forum or simply

chalk it up to a poorly made printer.

I think reputation is important. And Canon wants to revive what was once a stellar reputation in the printer sector.

Sometimes the tough decisions are the most difficult ones.

Hopefully someone will realize that and you don't end up like Olympus!

[Momodee]

Just called Canon about this issue and they really do not care at all about their customers.  I was told that print heads wear out and I should just purchase a new one.  It will be a cold day in hell...There is no sense of corporate responsibility.  No concern about the fact that a customer is dissatisfied and plans to go elsewhere in the future...nothing.  This will be my last Canon printer.  

[Cate]

I guess print heads might wear out, over time.  In our case, the printer is (was!) only 2 years old, and we seldom use it for printing.  We fax and copy almost exclusively.  I feel I should have been smarter:  From Day 1 we had the "low ink" (black) error message, which persisted even though we changed the cartridge(s).  This was our first Canon printer.  Previously we had HPs, both of which endured over 10 years.  This has been an expensive lesson!

[Momodee]

Maybe print heads do eventually wear out, but I have never had that happen to any printer in the past and my printer was used infrequently and had no previous issues.  In addition, many of the posts here indicated that a new print head did not solve the problem.  It seems that there is somethig else going on here.  I am not going to throw good money after bad, so to speak.  I always had good luck with HP printers in the past, so maybe that is the way to go.  

[Cate]

I found a new model HP — wireless, scan, copy, print (no fax) at Best Buy website on sale for $150.  Especially given the time and ink cartridges we've wasted trying to fix the Canon, that price looks pretty good.  And apparently only $50 more than a new printhead that won't fix the problem.

[puppylove]

It's ridiculous. You can get many $175-$200 ish level AIO units now for around $100 or less during BF... exactly what you would pay for a new cartdrige that may or may not last - why not have a new unit for the same price + warranty and a company that won't ignore you.

Everyone buying new units remember to use your CC and charge the full amount (no gift cards etc) since you will get a doubled warrranty then.

[LocalHero]

There's an Epson WF 3620 that has a high rating for an inkjet.   Sells for $129 at a lot of places.   Anyone have any experience with that printer?

Meanwhile I bought another Canon because I found one at a yard sale for $20 that still works perfectly.   It will be a good stop-gap printer til I decide on a new one.    Probably the last Canon printer I ever buy though.

[ReverseEMF]

I urge everyone on this thread who has a printer with this issue to add a "review" of the model printer you own, everywhere possible.  For instance, Amazon, Best Buy, Staples, Office Max/Office Depot, etc.

If your model of printer is no longer being sold, then find the next generation of your model and do a "cautionary review" with language to this affect:

"I do not own this particular model, but do I own a previous model of the same line and it blah, blah, blah... you might want to look into this before purchasing this product.  Also, here is a list of Canon printers that have reportedly ceased functioning due to the U052 error: MG5320, MG5350, MP520, MP530, MP600, MP610, MP830, MP860, MP960, MP990, MP970, , MX700, MX882, MX860, MX870, MX892."

Suggestion: be factual - merely tell your story -- leave your feelings out of it.  They can't sue you for telling the truth.  Also, be sure to include any information/stories you have about Canon's inaction in your case--again, TELL THE TRUTH.

[thezillionthsue]

GRRRR, I have the same problem, but having got that UO52 error several times, the printer has gone berserk with random error messages, and now it's just (not) printing blank pages.

I have an MP970 and it's been quite well behaved up until now.

I'm seething.

But it's some (slight) consolation to see so many others with the same issue.