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.

[zanne1950]

I had the same problem and did not check my inbox until someone suggested I do so-did not know I had one-Canon had already replied from this site. They sent me a new printer Mine was old Same error free shipping of other and great support on getting new one up and running I was a complete crazy complaining poster here for days and days before I checked my inbox-mentioned class action suits and all kinds of stuff. Then another person told me to check my box and there it was!Maybe they reach out to some and not others Maybe you have to threaten to sue them I don't know. Look through and find others who have had replacements and have links. Really the service was Great and not at all what I expected. I hated them but love them now

[dough]

Add me to the long, ever-growing list of previously thrilled but currently dejected and dissappointed (and now former) Canon printer owners.  I also used to brag and send everyone I knew to Canon, but I'm so angry about the whole U052 issue, that I'm about ready to post everywhere humanly possible about this mess, as a warning to an unsuspecting public.  My MX700, which I was thrilled with (while it worked) came up with this error.  It was a couple years old and I thought I could keep it as a dedicated fax.  WRONG!  If you get this error you can't use any other functions of the unit, like scanning or facsimile.  Are you kidding?!!!  Bad enough it's an error, but to have it make the entire unit completely useless?  I have unused cartridges as well.  I also own a canon camera and was thinking of buying a new one.  Never!  I'll buy a Polaroid before I buy anything Canon again!   If the class action happens (and I really think it should), count me in.

Moderator Note: Edited for language per forum guidelines.

[Geomath]

10822 customer views on this thread so far Mr. Canon and all you are able to do is censor comments.

No fix, no apology for this time bomb?

Shame on you Canon, shame on you.

[mnaclerio]

Update. Briefly managed to bring printer back to life! Problem is U052 hit back. Anyhow this is what I did:

Opened cover while printer was on and took out one of the cartridges;
Replaced it with empty cartridge,
While cover was still open unplugged and replugged it;
Erased printer's memory;
Unplugged and left it alone;
When hours later plugged and turned it on got out of ink error;
Pressed OK and printer sprung back to life;
Connected it to PC and PRINTED one page;
Left it on for future use...

Then, went back to print and got blank page. Restarted it and got U052 error again!

Hope this works for some - will this post also get deleted? The one just below got erased within seconds as they gave too many details about the law firm dealing with this.

[Hexadecimus]

No, they can also make false promises, lying publicly about their efforts in "investigating" and "resolving" our complaints.

[frank1359]

Dear Canon,

I have been a loyal customer over the past almost 10 years and today my Canon MG5220 received the U052 error. I would like to say that this is utter ** and am joining the hundreds of frustrated users in the fight against your fraudulent company. I will no longer be spending so much as even a penny on your products.

As for everyone else, add me to the list of people willing to take action against Canon regarding this issue

Frank K

[bdoster]

My PIXMA MP530 just got this error.  No combination of print cartdige removal, print head removal, holding down the power button, standing on my head, etc. will cure the ill.  I've always used genuine Canon cartridges... I have a few spares sitting on the shelf (Y, BK and PGBK if anyone is interested), and I even have a couple from an old BJC-7000 printer (anyone need a BC-60 or a BCI-62?) .  It's hard to believe that so many printers have this identical defect. I'm not sure what I'll end up doing after this, but my next stops will be Amazon, looking into non-Canon replacements, and Federman & Sherwood. 

[cfed]

I had the error after using replacement ink cartridges from Staples. Perhaps, there is a compatibility issue with only some of the replacement cartridges? What have you folk used that set off the error?

[lel]

I hadn't changed anything when the error message appeared. Thinking it was just needing new ink, I then changed the cartridges to see if that helped, but it did not. The cartridges I use have always been genuine canon ones.

[maczaphod]

Add me to the list. My MP560 just stopped, Tried all the suggested solution's with no result. Judging by the amount of unhappy people who have the same fault, Which incidently is not just on this site but all over the web, suggests to me

corperate skullduggery!!