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.

[nikkopt]

I had this problem about six months ago (Pixma MG5550), i tried re-seating the head and even tried the head of a friend that has the same printer as me and nothing worked.

What did work for me was playing with the white flat ribbon cable that connects the head to the main board. Nothing fancy, i just pulled it a bit to either side, just played with it a bit (gently of course, so i couldn't damage it) and guess what, as soon as i lowered the cover, the error went away and it has been working since then. I didn't disassemble the printer, just did it with the cover up.

[JoBardi]

I have been using my Canon MX925 since April 2016. This morning, I tried to print but it did not work. It is currently showing this message:

Support Code: 1403

The type of print head is incorrect.

Install the correct print head.

I do not even know anything about print head and have only changed the ink cartridges, so could I have installed a wrong print head?

[budgie5]

My MX922 stopped working this morning.  I have spent the day trying to get it to work but I still get the support code 1405 stating my print head is incorrect.  At first I was not that worried as I primarily use my printer for scanning but I am not longer able to scan even though the printer head should not effect the ability to scan.  Cannon needs to provide better software to fix this problem and printer heads at a price that allows for changing them.  As it is, this machine is designed to be landfill.

[shaval123]

Welcome to the club for dissatisfied Canon printer owners. Canon will not even acknowledge this as a factory defect. Sorry for your loss. Replace with a different brand because there is no fix.

[shaval123]

It isn't the print head and replacing it won't fix the issue. It is a known manufacturer defect that makes the whole printer unusable.

[shaval123]

You didn't do anything wrong. Canon printers are built with this defect that makes the printer useless and there is no fix. Canon refuses to acknowledge this problem. Replace with a non-Canon printer.

[NicolasA]

With pain in my heart I have to inform you that 4 ! years later in 2018 this problem still persists!

In Europe we have a standard 2 years warranty. And guess what? After 2.5 years my hardly used Canon MG5650 was useless/defective with the 1403 printhead error code.

Tried all the procedures mentioned here without a positive result.

For me it is such a pain to bring a printer as good as new with all this beautiful scarce metals (gold, copper, magnets etc) and materials to the garbage dump. Besides I also have to dump a complete set of unused ink cartridges.

Based on countless responses during many years it seems Canon has a built in timer to brick their printers just after the warranty period.

This places Canon in a group of fraudulous and unscrupulous companies like Volkswagen.

They are not concerned at all with our environment...

This is such a pity because I am really concerned with the state of our environment and climate!

Please Canon, listen to your worldwide customers and make your products as sustainable as possible!

You do not want to be associated with a company like Volkswagen...

Best regards,

NicolasA

[KAPPI73]

well what about it CANNON, PICTURE IT ON THIS STUPID 1405 PRINTER HEAD CODE, TELL US ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT NOW

[ItsaTexasThang]

I really wish I had known this forum was out there on the Canon printers.  I purchased the MX892 & the U052 wrong printhead error came up about a week ago.  I tried the instructions on canon's website to reset it numerous times but nothing worked....OBVIOUSLY as everyone here can attest to.  I haven't gone through all the messages left in this forum yet, but could someone tell me how did you contact canon, those of you who was sent replacement printers.  I don't have the extra money just lying around to go out & buy a brand new printer.  This is really screwed up that this company has not fixed this problem.  It's ridiculous & outrageous.  I noticed this forum goes all the way back to 2013.  That was 5 years ago & yet Canon is still selling faulty equipment.  I think they need to get their butts sued.  They've known for at least 5 years about this problem & yet has done absolutely NOTHING about it.  I'm totally disgusted & extremely pissed off.  This company is not looking out for their customers best interest & has caused an enormous amount of inconvience for myself & I'm sure for all of you as well. 

[samplerayt]

6/3/2018 Almost  five years since this thread started, and I now have a Pixma MG5220 throwing the U052 error. It did this in the middle of printing several pages. None of the suggested methods to correct the problem have worked. Congratulations, Cannon. You've been ripping off your customers for a very long time. (We also had one of your cameras, had to be returned for repair post warranty, then died again post repair warranty) Shame on you. I'll now take my hard earned dollars elsewhere.