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.

[seadog]

Ive had my Canon MG5250 printer about 2 years, its had very little use but yesterday I started to get the U052 error.

I agree with some of the other posts that say its a built in a failure mechanism to entice people into buying new Canon Printers or expensive Printer heads and thats why there doing nothing to resolve the issue and
I will never understand how a new printhead can cost more than the actual printer
And the cost of the inks is truly beyond belief.

[puppylove]

For anyone that bought a new printhead or printer recently -

First, see if you are within the return policy of the store, even if it says no returns - could be considered a defective item and those normally are exempt from that policy. Usually a manager will override if its within a month

If that doesn't work, most credit cards have "return protection" within 90 days - see your card details online - this allows you to return items to them if the store wont take them back.  Purchase protection is another feature - covers damaged or lost items within 90 days but this might cover damaged items too. Chargebvack is your last resort but would deflintely cover it.

And for items that are more used, but less than 2 years old - most cards have extended warranty, which covers items from the day after the manufacturer warranty ends, doubling that warranty (so 1 year becomes 2 year, the 2nd year covered by your card.)

[TonyB]

Same problem with my MX870 here in far off Hobart, Tasmania.  I have always used genuine Canon ink, and while the unit has had an easy life, sometimes not used for a month it has been trouble free until now.  Replaced a single empty cartridge and up came the U052 message.  Have tried all of the suggested solutions, including re-seating the print head and unplugging the printer to no avail.  Just add me to the list of unhappy cutomers

[CanonNeverAgain]

I rarely join forums to post, but this KNOWN issue is not resolved by the link Canon points everyone to.

If these instructions resolved the problem there wouldn't be over 800 individuals posting. 

It's a cop out Canon and you know it. 

Same as other posters, I always purchase genuine Canon ink and replaced the set recently. Now they are useless.

Also like other posters this printer is used in a residential environment. It has never been used to print large multi-page documents. Single pages perhaps once a month.

Add me to the long and ever growing list of pi**ed customers.

Patrik
Australia

[CanonNeverAgain]

I see from the first few pages, Canon are private messaging member to offer discounted replacements.

I'd like to be contacted Canon, just to see what can be done.

MP970.

[wiredefx]

They are offering 20% off (or around there) of their LIST price (not retail) on a new printer. Don't fall for it. 20% off of list is still higher than retail. Sometimes 50% off list price is still not retail.

[TonyB]

Thanks wiredefx,

CanonForum@cits.canon.com just sent me the following useful message:

"Hi TonyB,

wiredefx (Frequent Contributor) posted a new Reply in Personal Printers on 04-18-2015 07:03 PM" :

and your reply was:

"They are offering 20% off (or around there) of their LIST price (not retail) on a new printer. Don't fall for it. 20% off of list is still higher than retail. Sometimes 50% off list price is still not retail."

Thanks for the warning, for which I AM grateful, but Canon hasn't even offered me that yet.  The fact that the Canon forum moderator pointed me to your warning as offering the solution to my U052 related complaint shows how much Canon attention the company pays to the forum and how much the company cares about complaints from users. 

In the meantime I have a dead printer and about $300 worth of useless and non-returnable Canon ink cartridges to suit it.  I'm not too inclined to point anyone towards Canon products right now.  Its much more rewarding to tell the story of my Canon experience to anyone who will listen fot 5 minutes.

Regards,

Tony B 

Hobart, Tasmania

[Aardvark]

And that, my friend, is the best you can ever make out of this situation. Spread the word.

[nomorecanon]

Same with me - MP600 worked fine until a minute ago - I'll be going to HP

[wiredefx]

A new printhead does not fix this issue. Read the previous posts.