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.

[daveglover]

MG5350 , same problem as everyone else. UO52 "the type of print head is incorrect". Got a couple of years out of the printer, so was luckier than many but still very disappointed. Now seeing how common this is, disappointment has turned to anger. Canon, I want a full refund or replacement.

[wiredefx]

Good luck with that. Most of us can't even get a reply to our emails or calls, let alone a refund.

[Hbanush]

I spoke too soon as the error message did come up again. I spent a lot of time messing with the lever tend print head trying to clear the error message.

I did manage to clear it again by shutting off my printer. When I turned it on again I held the star Black button down At the same time. The printer is not showing the message after many days. Since I rarely use my printer, I don't know if the error message will come back when I use it again.

[peddlersroost]

I have just spent a horrible time trying to remove, reinsert, power off, power on, restart and reset my Canon Pixma MP610 which quit in the middle of my printing job. I too received the U052 wrong printhead error. I was very confused because I am using the same ink cartridges I always use. So after wasting three new cartridges and still getting the same error, I could have chewed my finger nails off. I use this printer EVERY day. My husband recommended I inquire, through Canon, if this was a known problem. I couldn't believe what I found on this site! Are you serious Canon!!!!! You all know about this? Do you build in a self-destruct module? My printer is not yet two years old and now I can't use it! I am furious. I am going to ditch my Canon printer, which I have enjoyed, because of your lack of concern for basic customer service. I don't have time to wait around until this error is figured our. Amazon.com, here I come. I'll be up and running in two days. Shame on you Canon! You need to make this right. I will not ever (say "never") purchase or recommend another Canon product!

Sign me:

Disgusted X-Canon Customer

[resisterdiode]

I just received this same error message tonight on my Canon MG5320. Seems like this printer was designed to fail, by reading through some of these posts going back over a couple of years. Wish I would have known that when purchasing this printer...   Well, has anyone been able to fix this issue or is this a death sentence for your printer. I am a full time student and this is really effecting my student work... need some Help Canon!!!

[barryalmo]

Add me to the list of disgruntled FORMER Canon Printer customers My Pixma 5320 was an excellent product til I first got error 5200 (no repair reference in the manual) This is now error UO52 Wrong Printhead Maybe we should mail our defective units to Canon COD to take action CANON SUCKS .... PASS IT ON !!!!

[peddlersroost]

Continued from previous email-

I think, after doing some reading, I am understanding what has happened. Everyone knows the printers are not the expense, the ink is. I find out that printers are now made to use inks specifically manufactured by the company- ie Epson printer uses Epson inks and will not work with other cartridges or remanufactured cartridges, etc. I have been reading about the chips that reset the page counters? Not sure I am understanding it all as I am not a techie. I do know that Epson says their printers are configured to take only Epson inks and will not work with third party ink cartridges! So a compatible ink pack for an Epson printer may be only $5.95 on Amazon, but the Epson made ink pack for the same printer, on Amazon,  will cost $53.00+. Yes, I know the inks are not the same. I am not running a business. It is the difference between being able to enjoy printing what I want when I want or feeling severely restricted because of ink replacement costs. Has Canon found a way to suddenly tell my Pixma MP610 to not accept the third party inks I have ALWAYS used??? Would my Canon Pixma work again, once new and expensive Canon ink cartridges have been purchased and installed? Probably. What a bummer. I am thoroughly disgusted with the whole thing. Greed, greed, greed. Wish I could get along without a printer altogether!

P.S. I am currently looking into possible replacements, but I do think this is going to be the case for all major printer companies now. They must get ALL of their money you know.

[Jajisee]

Don't waste your money. I thought the same thing. I went out and bought $100 of Canon ink cartridges and still didn't work. I could have bought a new printer instead. Arrrgggghhh.

[DaveRickard]

I have had a Cannon MP630 for several years and also bought a new print head.  I clean one while using the other. 2 Days ago the printer displayed the U052 and before that a B200 error code.  They seem to be the same.  Both say wrong print head fitted. It seems like Cannon are switching printers off to mak people buy new ones.  Dave Rickard

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@macnicol wrote:

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.

---

[barryalmo]

I actually got a prompt 1 day reply to my query thru the canon site ... they say to remove and clean the contacts with alcohol + swab ... or get a replacement they will send for 145$ !!!  To the landfill she goes 😞 😞 😞