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.

[thezillionthsue]

That's very interesting, as that does definitely seem to indicate that it is something in a Canon  firmware update which is the cause (deliberate or not) of this error message.

[txdiablo79]

I just registered so I can be informed when this class action happens.  I'm not a heavy printer, yet my MG5320 gave me that same wrong printer head error. 117 pages of people reporting the same thing and no help from Canon?  Yah...Last time I purchase canon anything.

[shaval123]

There is absolutely NO satisfaction from Canon with this issue.

[shaval123]

HAHAHAHA You knew this wouldn't work!

[Mamagull]

Welcome to our crappy corner of the Canon kingdom.

keep in mind that there are numerous class actions progressing. Google will point you the right way.......

[yadada707]

I have recently purchased an HP 8610 and could not be happier. 

Sorry Canon I firmly believe that you sabotaged your own products in order to malfunction, therefore consumers would either have to buy another one of your products, or send it in to be fixed at an exorbitant cost with the fix being as expensive as a new printer. 

I understand that large companies such as yourself sell many products.  However when research was conducted it is apparent that this is not an isolated incident.

Nice marketing scheme, I will admit.  It will keep your sales up for the uninformed and keep shareholders/Wall Street happy.  I however am done with your business.

[shaval123]

I registered and never got a notice either. Is there another class action happening?

[tjatwal]

As I now have a useable Epson printer I decided to have a play with the useless MX700. I found the service manual and tried out the method of placing the machine in service mode. This was successful but it would not show it in idle mode but at least it appeared to be allowing some access to adjustments. I tried to get it to produce a test print but although it fed the paper through it didn't print anything. Anyway the manual shows how to dismantle the thing so I may do that, it will fit better into the rubbish bin.

[shopandsurf]

Just had this error on my PIXMA MG8220 after replacing the large black cartridge.  Tried reseating cartridges, replacing cartridges, powering off and letting it sit, cleaning the print head, etc.  Tried to find out how to do a hard reset but could not find out how.  I am a persistent guy so I kept trying.  I was thinking that you need to get the system to forget or reset it's knowledge of the print head.  What better way than taking it out and starting the unit?  

I FINALLY FIXED IT AS FOLLOWS...I pulled the print cartridges and then pulled the print head.  I then powered it down and unplugged it.  I then went through a series of off and on and adding one piece at a time to see how the system responded.

Added print head, turned off and then on, got some error.

Added yellow cartridge, turned off and then on, got U051 error I think.

....until all were in and the unit was responding properly.

Took some time to prime since I had cleaned the print head but ultimately it worked.

Hopefully it helps in some other cases.  I was relieved to know I did not need to replace my printer due to some stupid error.

[Yankfroggy]

UPDATE: I filed for the Class Action before the deadline in December, and had heard nothing since. I sent 2 emails for status with zero response to the firm handling it: Angeion Group in Philly. So I called them today and they told me final court filing is April 25. I asked if they felt confident and they said yes.

We'll see.

To those of you just joining us. Make no mistake.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME. CANON IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS MADE ZERO EFFORT OR OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. MANY OF US BELIEVE THAT CANON PURPOSEFULLY CREATED FIRMWARE THAT FORCED MACHINES TO STOP BEFORE THEY WERE WORN. THE EVIDENCE IS STRONG.  NORMALLY JAPANESE COMMERCE HAS AN HONORABLE CULTURE, BUT THEIR SILENCE ON THIS ISSUE SPEAKS OF A TREACHERY THAT IS YET TO BE EXPOSED. THEY HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY HAD INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS AND WITHOUT A FINANCIALLY OR MORALLY PALATABLE EXIT STRATEGY, HAVE CHOSEN TO REMAIN SILENT. SHAME.

PERSONALLY I HAVE NO HISTORICAL BEEF WITH CANON AS A WHOLE, HAVING ENJOYED PAST PRODUCTS, BUT IN THIS CURRENT TIME, I HAVE PURCHASED THE COMPETITION, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL CANON PURGES THE RESPONSIBLE MANAGERS, MAKES AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY AND COMPENSATION TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. IT WILL COST THEM MILLIONS BUT WILL BE WELL WORTH IT FOR THEIR FUTURE REPUTATION.

VOLKSWAGEN COMES TO MIND.

WE SHALL SEE.