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.

[Aardvark]

Such a shame you didn't manage to read all the posts on this thread before wasting your money on a new printhead that doesn't fix the built-in error code. Several other people have done it and regret their action. Throwing good money after bad.

[mediajammer]

I find it amazing that so many thousands of people are having this same printer failure, and Canon has done nothing to respond. Not only is this maddening as a Canon customer (former), but madness on the part of management. Do they think there are unlimited numbers of customers out their that they can just lose their current customers and continue to have a viable business? I think Canon stockholders would be pretty upset to know about this problem and the companies response.

[Mamagull]

Add me to the list.  I have loved my MG5320 - great results, reasonable ink use.  Then came U052.  I've got a backstock of ink cartridges and it doesn't look like they are used in any of the printers currently available. 

Went through all the procedures listed/recommended and of course no change.  I NEED to be able to print labels for my home-based business.  This entire situation sucks.

[wiredefx]

Returned my new EOS 7D2 dslr to best buy yesterday. The tech asked why I was returning it, all I said was "U052", the guy laughed and showed me a box of "defective" printheads. He said that is quickly becoming the biggest issue they have run into with canon printers and can't understand why "canons head is so far up their ass they can't see the customers they are losing every day"... Got my money back. Looking into an Olympus.

[videodude]

Lowered my standards and called Canon Sales, per the Tech Support email.  I spoke with a CSR (I won't post the name, she was doing her job) who first offered me an MG2550, which is a total piece of crap.  Then she offered me an IP8720, which has individual ink tanks (instead of a combined color tank like the 2550) at 25% off Canon list, with free shipping for $224.99.  I told her the same printer was the SAME price with free shipping on Amazon Prime, and all she said was "We don't compete with official Canon retailers".  I told her she could put that where the sun doesn't shine (in a nice way, it wasn't her fault).

Canon Tech Support basically told me that the U052 error is endemic to the print engine that is in most of the affected printers, and it IS NOT the print head, and IS NOT the waste ink reservoir.  When pressed to identify if the issue is the main board or the firmware, they rapidly changed the subject and WOULD NOT answer the question, but OBVIOUSLY know the answer and have been told to CLAM UP.

This is a manufacturing and design defect, pure and simple.  I will join the class action and take my chances.  My old, DEAD, Canon is in a box, with ALL my BRAND NEW ink tanks waiting for an outcome.  My i560 was easy to use, easy to change ink tanks, made gorgeous photo prints, and was perfect for my needs in every way.  And now, because of Canon's bad engineering and software, is so much junk.  If my printer was a car, the FTC would help.  But it's "just a throw away printer", so no one but us cares.  BS.

A bad product is a bad product is a bad product.  And if a company makes one, they MUST make more.  This isn't a fluke of nature.

[wiredefx]

The guy at best buy knew it wasn't a print head issue (I didn't make that clear on my last post). People have been demanding replacement print heads and then bringing them back because it doesn't fix the problem. They can't resell them so they are put in a box.

[westoned]

I hear what you are saying about "bad products". But Canon does not have a history of making bad products. This is not to say they will never put out another bad product, but what is reprehensible is the way they refuse to acknowledge what seems to me a major error, and write off the 10-15% disgruntled customers, while the rest will continue to satisfy their profits.

I would join a class action suit - if I knew how-where-when, etc. My MP610 sits on the floor awaiting some kind of resolution - I won't discard it for now - it is evidence.

[raj]

Hi,

Facing this probem since last few days.

Total waste of time. U052 error with new cartidges on Canon Pixma printer.

Any solutions, anyone found yet?

[kathryncnm]

 I have had my printer (MX850) for about 3 years and just received this message for the first time when i changed to "scan" mode.  It printed without a problem moments before.  I turned it off, then on.  I changed out the cartridges and still get the message.  

Expensive and failed fix. Now what?

[puppylove]

New record. 12 posts deleted today

0 people's issues fixed

Now that's some award winning CS, as they like to say.  HA!

If there is someone reading this, don't worry. You can delete all you want. I got 3 seprate messages from peopl with the necessary info. You can refuse to help us but you can't stop us from taking that other step. Nice try.