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.

[DiannaMoy]

Let me know when you're ready to file!  Count me in!

[athesen]

I told the whole sorry tale about my Canon Pixma 560 ... which ended with me sending my printer to the e-recycler as the scan function did not work with the "printhead error". I have bought a new different printer and am, for the moment, happy. I think this is a shocking response from Canon and it will be a long time before I recommend or buy another. So count me in even if I am far away in Cape Town, South Africa.

[tykra]

My post was deleted because I said B and another letter before T .... WOW!

Anyway,  IMO this is a designed failure!

I used the exact same ink cartridges at 9 months and now 15 months it bricks!

CANON this is FRAUD and I hope someone calls you on it in court!

[faithful]

I have had the same issue with my mx700.  It began in early January 2014.  At first I followed the procedure given and it worked a few times.  However,, the unplug-reset is no longer effective.  Another frustration is that it shuts down all other operations of the all-in-one, such as faxing and scanning.  Neither of which require the printer.  Has anyone contacted their state's Attorney General? 

[RenuNergy]

I just received this dreaded U052 error this past weekend on my relatively new Canon MG5320.  I've tried reseating the print head several times, have just removed power to try that ill-fated fix and will start looking into a print head which maybe as expensive as buying a new printer.

So although I've been a Canon Printer loyalist for many years now, I'm going to be looking for a new Printer Manufacturer.

I don't know if they are using Agile development practices, simply not paying attention to quality control or building in a failure mechanism to entice people into buying new Canon Printers or expensive defective Printer heads. Whatever the case I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Canon you have made such wonderful products in the past and I'm extremely disappointed to see that this issue is going unresolved.  I will be posting my feelings about your line of printers on Facebook and LinkedIn to encourage you to resolve this matter.

As a powerhouse in the electronics industry you should know that the customer is always right. They buy your products which pay the creditors, pay you salaries and keep your shareholders and board members happy. You should tread cautiously here since the power of the people can be magnified by the power of the 30 billion computers connected to this Matrix we call the Internet.

[KBeck]

Just had it happen to me. MP 610, several years of service. Just printing out taxes and the printer went dead. Turned off the power for a bit, turned it back on: U052, printhead error.

Followed random procedures, cleaned the printhead, nothing works.

Darn. Well, two things:

1. Given the lack of response and lack of new printheads on Amazon and the typical, Marketing-Speak of "We'll give you a paltry, no-amount discount on another poor quality printer" that I've seen before from Canon, this thing goes straight into the electronics recycle bin. And, no, I won't be buying a Canon, ever again.

2. I'm an electrical engineer by trade. I troubleshoot field repairs, design new hardware, and keep things going. I'm not impressed by the lack of support.

Goodbye, Canon!

KBeck

[tomhock]

I have a MP530 with this problem. The printer has only printed a total of 393 pages. What a shame to scrap such a nice printer because Canon will not give us a fix that works.

[BobEngram]

My lightly used MG5300 is now a brick with the U052 error. What a waste of resources, time and money.

[RealEstateinMic]

2 year old MX860, no problems ever.. in fact, I bragged on it, as it did everything well.  

Turned it on one Monday after a long weekend over New Years, and U052.. Canon's "fix" of 13 or so steps produced no results.. cost of a new printhead is @= to the price of a new printer.  

Brother All-in-One Laser ordered from Amazon.  

If this goes to class action, count me in.