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.

[Voganaa]

MP600

[glenguthrie]

Just received the same UO52 error message on my MX892 printer while it was in the middle of a print job. I followed the recommended correction procedures (reseat printer head, unplug for 10 mins, etc.) and it did nothing. I contacted Canon support and repeated the procedures with them to no avail. Oddly, the technical support rep acted like she had never heard of this error before. 🙂 She concluded our troubleshooting by saying that there was no resolution for this issue (did not even waste time discussing a new print head).

After confirming that my printer was no longer under the one-year manufacturer warranty, she forwarded me to their 'loyalty sales group' to discuss potential options for replacing my printer. As a 'loyal' Canon customer (actually have been for 14 years) they offered me a special 25% discount on a like model (MX922). Unfortunately, that 'special' price was identical to what Best Buy, Office Depot, etc. are selling it for!

I'm in the computer hardware business (storage) so I understand that hardware is not infallible. That being said, I'm very disappointed that I barely got 18 months out of this printer, especially after always paying a premium for the expensive Canon ink cartridges. Therefore, before I purchase another Canon printer, I'm going to evaluate my other options.

[Trelution]

I never heard from Canon, and suspect I never will. This is the second Canon printer I have had die on me and I don't think they will trick me a third time. It is riducolous to lock down the whole printer/allinone if it is in fact just the printhead that is malfuctioned.  Any good recomendations for a good all in one that has good photo print quality, oh and NOT Canon?

[flawedexistence]

I just bought a Brother

MFC-J870DW

Paid $100.  Works great so far.  I would recommend it.

[Tootsy42]

I just know that after I contacted Canon by email, they were very nice & helpful, even after my printer was out of warranty by almost two months.  They send me a new printer head, but that didn't solve the problem.  After I email them back and forward a couple more times I was offer a printer very similar to what I had. I have been using it for a few days and it is very good.  I didn't have to spend any money to send it back either. Good luck guys.

[stuffed1printer]

Little more proof needed that Canon cannot fix printhead when responding to their own error message!!

Don't shell out any more money on parts or ink or waste more time. Dump the printer and switch makers.

As with cars, when you make lemons you suffer the market backlash.

[cchristiano2730]

I have the MX870 with that error, tried the fixes including the printhead.  Now instead of that error I get a B200 error. Wrote in to canon and they say to replace it -they will give me a discounted price....Not sure I will do this as my Canon i560 stopped working two days later..same type of thing.

[bdoster]

It sounds like Canon has stopped offering free replacements.  It also seems like luck of the draw for that action - it had to happen to you at the right time.  My MP530 only went south in the last week... frustrating as the window seems to have closed now.  I may try working with Canon, but I doubt it.  Why do that when this problem affects multiple models over a long stretch of time, and there is no admitted cause or known solution? Why spend more money, even at a discounted price, when the problem could presumably happen again on any new devices?  It just doesn't make sense.

[lesterley]

Add me to this ever-growing list of disgruntled Canon customers. 

My MX860 has been working perfectly fine for the past 2 years. Suddenly today, when I attempt to print a PDF document, I get the dreaded U052 error.

I call Canon's customer support and talk to a friendly fellow who offers to sell me a new printer at a reduced price with free shipping.  Of course, no offer is made to FIX my existing printer.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any means, but since these printers are connected to a network, it would be all too easy for Canon to send a firmware update that they know will cause the printer to stop functioning, in the hopes of increasing their sales. 

This entire situation STINKS!

[CrapCans]

Put me on that list.  Extremely frustrating.  If no viable solution if discovered soon, I will leave canon and not look back.  Nothing like throwing money away.....

MP560