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]

So,

I was one of the early people who complained about a dead UL052 printer. And, yeah, Canon even offered to give me a freebie a couple of months after the original complaint. Not that I could have done anything about it: I had already bought a replacement and had taken the MP610 to the recycle facility.

So, today, sent off the paperwork for the $50/$75 class action settlement. I guess that's closure, of sorts.

But the whole business left a very bad taste in my mouth. I liked the MP610: Two paper paths, easy to stick envelopes/checks into, good place for regular printing. And there have been no replacements on the market that match, even now, those decent specs. I was once a loyal Canon fan; heck, Canon was one of the first companies, ever, to make the hardware for the original laser printers that HP went onto fame with. I remember that, and their good innovations in the camera and printer space. I used to recommend Canon printers to friends and family; that's not me making stuff up, yeah, I really did do that.

No more. I've bought a couple of other printers for myself and helped close family members pick and choose a couple of others. And they weren't Canon. I will never buy a Canon printer again.

That MP610 failed within a month of a firmware update from Canon. Given the huge numbers of printers that failed in that time frame, I have to believe that all those failures were on purpose, most likely to drum up business. Somewhere, there's a pointy-haired marketing executive within Canon who pushed this through; whether it was panic with all the competition, or slowly declining sales; or just a sociopathic need for a bump in sales to improve stock options; or whatever, the "fix" went in.

Heck, I don't know. It might have actually been an honest mistake. But...

I haven't heard word one from Canon about an apology. And, I guess, there likely will never be one, businesses being businesses.

But there's these two terms: "Goodwill" and "Reputation". Goodwill actually shows up on the corporate balance sheets. Reputation is what you get when you play it as straight as you can. Reputation doesn't mean you don't make mistakes; it means you own up to the ones you do make, and try to do better. People really do understand that, even if the stock analysts don't, and, over time, can come to trust a company. And, in my mind, Canon has managed to destroy their own Trust and Reputation on this issue. Who in their right mind would buy a Canon printer after this?

Hmph. I wonder if their external accountants will take into account the loss of their Goodwill in the balance sheet?

KBeck

[Fromjim]

I couldn't have said it better myself, I was a huge Canon fan, like you I promoted Canon without hesitation, every part of their business was good, until, like you say, suddenly all went haywire, they neglected, would not even answer, not even after the thousands and thousands of complaints, they just ignored their loyal customers, like they didn't even exist or matter. I was even kicked off their sight because I said and asked God for His help, what else can we do, no one seems to care.  Please keep posting here, you may never see my posts again now that I have mentioned God again, but that's how I live.

God bless you and Canon

Jim

---

@KBeck wrote:

So,

I was one of the early people who complained about a dead UL052 printer. And, yeah, Canon even offered to give me a freebie a couple of months after the original complaint. Not that I could have done anything about it: I had already bought a replacement and had taken the MP610 to the recycle facility.

So, today, sent off the paperwork for the $50/$75 class action settlement. I guess that's closure, of sorts.

But the whole business left a very bad taste in my mouth. I liked the MP610: Two paper paths, easy to stick envelopes/checks into, good place for regular printing. And there have been no replacements on the market that match, even now, those decent specs. I was once a loyal Canon fan; heck, Canon was one of the first companies, ever, to make the hardware for the original laser printers that HP went onto fame with. I remember that, and their good innovations in the camera and printer space. I used to recommend Canon printers to friends and family; that's not me making stuff up, yeah, I really did do that.

No more. I've bought a couple of other printers for myself and helped close family members pick and choose a couple of others. And they weren't Canon. I will never buy a Canon printer again.

That MP610 failed within a month of a firmware update from Canon. Given the huge numbers of printers that failed in that time frame, I have to believe that all those failures were on purpose, most likely to drum up business. Somewhere, there's a pointy-haired marketing executive within Canon who pushed this through; whether it was panic with all the competition, or slowly declining sales; or just a sociopathic need for a bump in sales to improve stock options; or whatever, the "fix" went in.

Heck, I don't know. It might have actually been an honest mistake. But...

I haven't heard word one from Canon about an apology. And, I guess, there likely will never be one, businesses being businesses.

But there's these two terms: "Goodwill" and "Reputation". Goodwill actually shows up on the corporate balance sheets. Reputation is what you get when you play it as straight as you can. Reputation doesn't mean you don't make mistakes; it means you own up to the ones you do make, and try to do better. People really do understand that, even if the stock analysts don't, and, over time, can come to trust a company. And, in my mind, Canon has managed to destroy their own Trust and Reputation on this issue. Who in their right mind would buy a Canon printer after this?

Hmph. I wonder if their external accountants will take into account the loss of their Goodwill in the balance sheet?

KBeck

---

[zeke04]

I have a iP6000dD that has just recently stopped working, spitting out the dreaded "incorrect print head installed" error with 5 yellow flashhes and one green flash. When I open the top cover the message changes to an error code 5100 and the print head carriage will not move from the rightmost position in order to chack the print head. Is this the same error that is being disccussed in this thread?

[janet1]

Sounds like the same problem. I think I also got a different error code after first getting the U052 error.  

Now I have a new HP printer but am missing the nice quiet Canon printer that just died. I'm considering returning the HP printer and going back to Canon. But if I buy a Canon printer, I'm definitely going to get an extended warranty.

Good luck.

[jipajapa]

I had the same problem. Looks like my MX892 will need to be disposed of since it is non-functional in view of this error. No more Canon products for me.

[timrhorn]

Same here. My MX892 just died today with the U052 error.

[tkhiker]

My MP970 died with U052 January 7, 2016, too late for the class action. After researching this issue on several sites it appears Canon has known of this issue for years. They have now lost another long time (15+ years) customer of many of their products. I'm starting my research of "anyone but Canon" MFPs for a replacement.

[dacaes]

Hi, I'm another affected by the U052 error. Solves not buying another ink jet and changing it. Here the video. I come not to buy any Canon printer in my life.

[freebyrd57]

I have a brand new one that wont work and the ink is full it has this error... so frustrated

its a Canon MG6620

[thezillionthsue]

Well at least if yours is brand new it will still be under guarantee so hopefully you can get your money back and buy a printer which isn't a Canon!!