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.

[Fruitty]

Not from the US but the dreaded error strikes here in Europe too. I have an MP610 and from one day to another it went from printing fine to displaying the errors U051 and U052. Have tried everything but nothing works. I'm about to throw the printer in the trash and go back to my first love, Epson. Canon stinks.

[Aardvark]

Yes, the issue in in Europe as well. Canon Europe don't even respond at all to complaints. I have already taken a sledgehammer to my heap of Canon scrap and posted a link to a photo of the satisfying result. It was deleted of course.

[leelee17]

I have a Cannon MP560 and receive the error code UO52 type printer head incorrect. I removed the printer head and placed it back in as Cannon suggested, replaced the ink cartridges with all new ones but I still receive the error code and still can't get the printer to work. it will not even allow me to scan to my computer. It was printing fine then this error code pops up and I cant get rid of it.

[seniorelder]

Hi. Exactly the same issue that I have had. I have emailed Canon directly but not even had the courtesy of a reply. Living in the UK my next course of action is the BBC consumer programme 'Watchdog'.

[Rshell73]

I have a disabled MP5320 Serial # ACMY54094 with Code U052 Printer head error. Ive tried ALL the you tube assistance videos,replaced ink cartridge ,cleaned the  ink contacts, clean the header, unplug  plug in ,Canons link with  pictures  and I had to have my son call customer service because I would probably go off like a fire bomb. Well, all they could say was please send it back and purchase a new printer head. Really?I have to pay to ship this thing,pay to get a new one and its more expensive than another cheap flying bleep bleep printer than this was ! The only good thing, school is out,so my kids dont need to print homework!

Really ticked off.

[MikeC]

Buy HP, since Canon apparently won't fix this issue and the problem expands across many models! Their ink sales can plummit too!

[gadd68]

Yes I've had this error today, have cleaned print head etc. to no avail. WILL NEVER BUY CANON AGAIN

[Justdoit]

any updates anyone?

[jimheller]

I've just encountered this problem on my MP830. Had'nt printed for a few weeks (not unusual) and the cartridges were all running low. Tried to print something and got a fatal error msg on pc. Printer alarm light is lit, and screen msg says incorrect print head installed. printer won't do anything with alarm lite on.  Only way to clear the alarm is to restart printer. Alarm has come back on/eventually after every restart. Doing a nozzle check printed all colors. Printing a spreadsheet printed only words in blue/cyan (email address items on doc) no black. Attempt to print all black document gave me blank sheet. Did a nozzle check and it printed all colors, seemed ok. I copied a brochure and it seemed to print all colors fine. Did a print head aligment print and it looks ok I think (printed blocks w/cyan, magenta, & black in 2 shades but no yellow).

During all this had to restart a few times because of alarm lite. Removed and re-installed the print head several times.  Still prints only the cyan (email addresses) from the spreadsheet. And nothing for a all balack tex doc.

All very confusing to me.

[flawedexistence]

Yeah, my MP830 went the same way.  Threw it out and bought a Brother.  Works great.  The odds are against any of the purported fixes working on your machine.