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.

[KBeck]

New print heads don't help. There's plenty of comments in the thread where people bought new print heads, put them in, and it either didn't work or failed again, same error code, shortly thereafter.
I have long been convinced that this is a Canon software induced fault, put in there by Canon marketing, to remotely brick Canon printers in the hopes of getting the unwary to buy a new Canon printer. The problems showed up on my printer a couple of days after a "software update". At this point my suspicions are that an operative at Canon remotely disables batches of "older" printers whenever printer sales gets too low.
Fraud, yeah. The class action lawsuit went into discovery and immediately settled, with the class lawyers bribed to go away. Thank you, U.S. "Justice" system. When is the FTC going to take notice?
KBeck

[shaval123]

In almost all cases a new printhead will NOT fix this issue so spending additional money for a non-working "fix" to this issue is a waste of time and money since the problem is not the printhead to begin with. There is no fix that has been found once this error code comes up.

[docskorpion]

I am having the same printer head prob.

[pdeb]

MG5420 -- very lightly used and less than 2 years old-- tried all the 'fixes' suggested by others but nothing worked. I would only get another canon printer if they offered some kind of compensation for the shoddiness of this product.

[TheCyndicate]

If the print head is messed up, why can I go into service mode and print test pages just fine? Why is my scanner disabled over a print head? Let's be honest, this is a punishment written in code, in the firmware for people that do not use Canon ink. It is illegal and they are vandalizing a product I own. I don't want to sue them, I want them charged and jailed.

[weekes]

Hi,

I have a Cannon MP630 and have fault code U052.I purchased a new printer head and installed it.I still have the fault code U052 after fitting new head and unpluging the printer to clear memory,so it seems that I have waisted my money.

Regards Howard 

[Brandy]

I'm the owner of a Pixma MP500 and just had this issue crop up out of nowhere. Everything I've read won't fix the issue. From what I read here, it's time to retire my printer and buy a new one, one with some form of support from the manufacturer. 😕 I'm a bit sad about it, this printer has been faithful and a work horse til now. And I've been able to fix any other issue I've had by googling it, but this, and the fact there are so many people out there with the issue and Canon don't seem to care, speaks volumes.

Shame. Massive shame.

[TheCyndicate]

I have the same printer, same problem.
It's a punishment written into the firmware code.

Just do not ever buy another product from them and make sure you tell everyone that will listen about this.

You want to destroy something I own, illegally, then I will destroy your business.

[aliris19]

Apologies for a repeat post if I've responded in the wrong place. I've got a MX892 with the same printhead error. I cleaned the printhead with water and am waiting for the plug to un-static itself. I'm doubtful anything will be better when I reconnect the power (several upstream posts suggested waiting 10 minutes before reconnecting). I think this is bricked.

Could it be a static charge that fries something on the connecting pins of the machine? That might explain why it won't reset?

Sad!

This was purchased at Costco so I'll call and ask whether I really can get a refund. Such a waste.

[RDM57]

Same issue, Canon MG5300.  Printing fine then suddenly it reports that the "wrong printhead" is in place and must be changed.  I've only used genuine Canon inks or Canon refurb cartridges.  I've removed and cleaned the contacts on the printhead to no avail.  Cost to replace the printhead are higher than the original printer costs!  So, is there a printhead hour timer that stops the machine, so that we must go buy a new one?  Seems like planned obsolescence.