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.

[NewAge1]

U052 Incorrect Printhead TEMPORARY Bypass

Canon MX700 printer printhead diagram

https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART114232

NOTE: Scroll down to “Reseating the Print Head” to see the print head

            diagrams of print head nozzles, electrical contacts, ink supply ports.

1. I have successfully TEMPORARILY bypassed the U052 incorrect print 

    head error on my 11 year old Canon MX700 printer by thoroughly 

    cleaning the print head as follows.   The U052 error REOCCURS after 

    printing on my printer and with the passage of time (i.e. a few days).

    I believe I saw this fix on the Canon Community Forum.

         a. Get a flat bottom container and fill it with a 1/4 inch of warm water

             and put your print head with the print head nozzles pointed down

             in the water.  See print head diagram web link above.

         b. Drip warm water onto the ink supply ports too.

             See print head diagram web link above.

         c. Jiggle the container to jostle the print head to get the

             ink out.

         d. Repeat steps a, b & c until your water remains clear 

            (i.e. no ink remaining).  

         e. I dried my print head with the following: paper towels, 

             setting it under a desk lamp, air drying overnight.

2. With a clean print head I do not get the U052 error.

3. After printing on my printer a dozen color pages successfully-

    1 week later I get the U052 error.   Cleaning the print head 

    per note# 1 above and the U052 error goes away.

Other notes include:

1. I cleaned the print head gold contacts & interfacing pins with

    CRC Electronics Cleaner & Q-tip.   This cleaner is available 

    from an Auto Parts store.   This cleaning did not resolve the

    U052 error.

2. Previously cleaned the print head gold contacts with a pencil

    eraser which resolved my U052 error.   However, a few days

    later the U052 error came back.

[JohnAZ]

I had a long chat with a Canon Canada service tech today about the U052 error msg. He advised that it is a poorly worded general error msg that has been refined in later printers to be more specific about the error. It can be caused by a verity of issues within the head or outside such as cartridges or wiring behind the contacts. He suggested the overnight soaking which I have already done and swapping the printhead with another similar printer, again which I have already done. He could not come up with any other suggestions for me to try other than buying a new printer.

[Jangel2117]

Would love to know if there is any resolution to all of these printer complaints. I, personally, would love some answers, Seems like something is obviously defective for everyone to have the same problems.

Error 1403, MX922- "The type of print head is incorrect. Install the correct print head." Many post are over 5 years old. It's 2019 and still experiencing same problems. 

[cgplenty]

Pixma MX860

Same issue, stopped suddenly while printing, and have had/used the same printer head (factory) for years (almost 10)!

[MadPhil]

Still happening.  My MG5350S has just come up with the same u052 error message.  I have now wasted two new print cartridges and cleaned the printhead, but it is still not working.  Very disappointing to see that Canon have completely failed to resolve this issue.

I guess that I'll be buying a new ptinter tomorrow.  Hmm, what brand shall I choose?  Will it be Canon?  Not blxxdy likely!!!  I am mad, so goodbye Canon.

[Melika]

I am as mad as an entire nest of wasps, right now! My husband bought me the Canon Pixma MX892 a few years ago because I still have my last Canon printer (a BJC-50, which was one of the first portable printers available) and it still works. I wanted to upgrade and loved my Pixma MX892! That was until today. Right in the middle of printing pictures for a memorial for my cat that just died, I got the errors B200 and then the U052 error message about having the wrong print head! I have always used Canon brand printer cartridges and have always kept up on all the required maintenance of this printer. There is absolutely no reason for a printer that's only a few years old to just stop working! Especially when I still have another Canon printer that is much older, that has no issues!

Canon: I've seen countless people on countless forums with this same problem, with multiple models of your printers. You owe it to your customers to do something about it! Give us a trade in value, towards a new printer, or something! I have been a long time customer. I've bought multiple printers, cameras, and endless amounts of printer cartridges, none of which have been cheap! I've always used brand name cartridges and followed the instruction manuals and maintained my printers well. This is inexcusable!

I am now setting out on a mission to blast the internet with the message that Canon, knowingly, makes faulty printers. I am going to post to social media using various hashtags to make sure I reach as many people as humanly possible. You can't keep selling bunk products and stay in business. Eventually, enough people will hear about it and stop buying your products. I don't care if I have to stand in front of Best Buy with a sign, I'm going to make sure people know about this! Lots of people!

I will never buy a Canon product, again! 

[akcampb1]

I have been using my Pixma MX892 for six years and suddenly it displayed the dreaded U052 wrong printhead code. My previous Canon printer did the same thing after only 3 years of operation and customer service suggested that I replace it and she gave me a significant discount on a new printer. With 2 consecutive printers being disabled by the same code and no official instructions on how to fix it, other than buy a new one, I am switching to a different manufacturer. 

[ddmukai]

MX 882 -- I've had essentially a similar experience: Printer was going along, working well, no issues, then on one occasion after changing one ink cartridge, I got the dreaded U052 Wrong Printhead Error message. I am currently trying to figure out how to execute some of steps that the Canon Expert (Julius) posted under this particular posting by macnicol (Call to Arms for the dreaded U052 Wrong Printhead Error) but where can I find out how to re-seat the printhead? When I click the links in the Canon Expert's posting which are supposed to tell me HOW to perform the procedures which might fix the problem, the link gets hung up and nothing happens as the connection attempt times out. The printer worked fine for several years until this happened, but I am negatively impressed by Canon's Tech Support. Now it seems that they are charging $19.99 for every time you call Tech Support and ask them how to troubleshoot problems such as this error message. I will re-post if I come upon a successful fix procedure, but don't hold your breath.

[planting66]

MX420 print head not istalled Uo51

[sleepexe]

i just want to thank all those in the community that offered fixes.   I have about $100 in ink for my MX922 so I had to try, but alas nothing worked.

Likewise, I would like to thank Canon for their silence on the matter.  That made it an easy decision to buy an Epson ecotank ET-3750.  It included a bathtub of ink, setup and software installation were a breeze, and the first pages just rolled out of it.  No guarantees this experience will be better, I realize that.  But I'm happy to give it a try.