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.

[telvis]

I am so fed up with my Canon MG5250.  Having spent an age trying to sort it out I am at a loss and ready for chucking it all in the bin.  Same as all the other repsonses, OK printer one day, next day error U052 - the type of print head is incorrect.  Well listen Canon, it was fine for the 14 months leading up to it suddenly being incorrect!  I have wasted money on the printer and also for the un-unsed ink cartridges I have.  As I needed a replacement printer desperately I went off to my local Argos and bought the Canon iP7250.  Worked fine for a while then one day when I sent a job to the printer, the front cover on the printer opened so violently it actually fell apart!  Again, this is now consigned to the scrap heap along with a nice collection of un-used ink carts that I had purchsed for it.

This is scandalous from Canon, I trusted Canon, you do don't you - well known brand etc.etc. but I feel totally let down by their shoddy performance and standards.  Up until the original printer going down I was very happy with it and the print quality was excellent but I will be very reluctant to ever buy a Canon product again.

Who do I need to contact please in order to raise a complaint for compensation?

Off to Argos again in the morning - for an Epson!

[karengoldberg1]

I just got the dreaded U052 message on my canon MG5220. this is my 3rd canon printer over many years, and will be my last. i know the problem is not a bad printhead, since it was working just fine up til the error mes.

I need a printer in my work and will have to buy a new one tomorrow. After reading this forum, IT WON'T BE A CANON.

[Yankfroggy]

I do not know if you can find recourse, but I did get a settlement check last month after submitting my claim before the deadline December 7, 2015. Case was 2:14-cv-3235-LDW-SIL Easter District Court NY. Rep'd by the Angeion Group in Philly.

Good luck

[shaval123]

I submitted before the deadline also but haven't received anything yet. Maybe they didn't get to me yet, at least I hope that is what the issue is. Nice to know that they have at least started sending checks.

[petethepen]

Guys - just to be fair to newbies on this site, you can look around and find suppliers of new print heads for $40 - $60.  I do understand everyone's frustration about the way Canon has dealt with this problem, but let's not advise people to throw away relatively new printers when a less expensive fix is available.

[Balalayker]

petethepen, this is wrong.

My Pixma MP970 ridiculously doesn't work even as a scanner - because of the printhead error.

Its QY6-0062-010 printhead isn't produced by Canon anymore.

Albeit the fact that the printer is technically modern and advanced enough.

In the Internet you cannot find this printhead for a price less than 200 $.

This is inacceptable given that you don't even know for how long it is going to work.

The only response I've received from Canon Support was a refusal to repair my printer and a proposition to find on my own a place where it can be repaired.

[nash123]

I also had lots of spare cartridges when my printer died. I could not sell them, so I turned to craigslist and bought the exact same printer for a very cheap price. I am now able to use those cartridges and still print. I keep the old one for spare parts...

[JohnWPB]

"I turned to craigslist and bought the exact same printer for a very cheap price. I am now able to use those cartridges and still print. I keep the old one for spare parts..."

Good idea... just in case your print head dies LOL!

[geekdaddy]

Add me to the list.  I've got an MX882 that served me well for ~4 years.  I'm now frequently getting the print head error.  I've tried re-seating, re-booting, print head cleaning, etc.  It still happens.  Looks like I'll need a replacement soon...

[hskillman]

yes, this is now happening to me and I am seeing this looks like an issue as far back as 2014. I did email cannon so will see what they say. I will be sad if I have to go out to buy another printer especially because I already spent 100.00 on two packs of ink thining that may have been the problem. and I agree, its annoying the whole thing shuts down so we cant even fax or scan.