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.

[pixma610]

I have the same issue with Pixma MP610 from 2008.

The printer is otherwise in very good state. 

I see no reason, why also scanner should be harmed by this error. Could someone help how to get at least scanner working?

Thank in advance for any help.

[willdread]

Same issue with a MG6650 multifunction printer. None of the suggested solutions has worked so far. Not willing to buy a print head to see if that works.

[willdread]

Add the MG6650 to your list

[johnmd50]

Haven't responded to these many posts for so long as it became so frustrating, but here's the answer, as many of my more learned colleagues and so many, many other posters will know. You have two choices. 1. You can keep posting requests for details, & trying the many options like changing print heads; using whole new sets of branded inks; writing to Canon: reading through many years of Forum posts, including the success of a Class Action Lawsuit in America (which changed nothing in terms of future Printers!); OR 2. you can stop all the stress, as I did eventually, and go out and just buy another printer!

[Pretorien]

A surprise:

My MX 870 threw the U052 code this morning after I replaced an ink cartridge.  My search brought me to this forum.  Needless to say, I was very discouraged by what I read while waiting the 10 unplugged minutes called for in the Canon reccommended "fix"

I restored power, the printer turned on and......the message was gone!

Fingers crossed

[NewAge1]

U052 Incorrect printhead error 

FIX: Clean printhead “gold” contacts with a pencil eraser

Notes: All previously tried youtube fixes failed.

Printer: Canon MX700 

[Mamicita03]

Canon Pixma MX922–Canon technical support told me yesterday that the printer I barely used and had for only 18 mos. now needs to be tossed in the trash because there is no fix for error code 1403. They know this is a problem, as an earlier version also had this same problem and they settled a class action lawsuit. Something needs to be done. Also, their customer service on this known issue is horrible.

[JohnAZ]

I have two Canon MG5220. One of them suddenly showed the U052 Printhead error msg. I swapped the printhead into my other MG5220 printer and the error moved with the printhead. I swapped the printhead back and the error stayed with the printhead. Next I will try a long soak in water to see if it makes a difference.

[JohnAZ]

An overnight soak of the printhead and a thorough cleaning of the printhead docking station did not fix the problem. I now have only 1 MG5220 printhead but two otherwise fine working printers.

[rwsnc]

I'm convinced that the printhead is NOT the problem. The problem is CANON printersl and the Canon company.  I, for one, will never buy another Canon product.  They apparently settled a class action lawsuit, but continued to sell their defective product. I know because I had one, but never more.