Canon MX850

[jwhitens]

My canon mx850 is displaying the following error:

"Error U052, the type of print head is incorrect. Install the correct print head."
I have the original print head that came with the printer. I have reseated it twice and reseated the ink cartridges and I still. I really don't want to buy a new printer head, it would cost me more than a new printer. Any ideas on how to try and repair this problem, I would buy a new printer head if getting a new head will fix the problem. I appreciate any help for this problem.

 

[smith]

May be you are not resetting the printer head in right way. Just Google the error and you will find the right way to do it.

 

[jwhitens]

Only one way to set the printer head. Did as you suggested and tried all the google remedies I could find and not luck. This is not a printer head problem. Attached is a blurp I sent to Canon:
"My problem is my MX850 printer has an error message U052 and your resetting the printer solution did nothing to help my problem. I don't understand why this error disables the whole printer when there are 3 other operations on my printer that is apart of this printer and are now unusable. From research I have done, this problem has been going on since 2007 and almost 7 years later nothing seems to have been done by CANON to correct this problem. If this is your way of getting people to get new printers, I will but it won't be a CANON.
It would have been nice to go tell people how to remedy this problem other than buying a new printer but unfortunately that is not the case".
I have not problem getting a new printer if it were a worth getting a new printer but don't disable the whole printer because of a so call printer head problem. The printer head function is not needed to scan, fax or other functions other that print, so why disable the whole printer.
Sorry, just venting.

 

[l_d_allan]

The MX850 is a really, really nice printer, especially if you refill your cartridges, so I hope you can bring it back to life. It is one of the few printers I'd describe as nice enough to get a replacement print-head.

It isn't a "throw-away if something goes wrong", but rather in the category, imo, of a printer you want to keep working as long as you can.

* Was there something that happened that might be a factor in what is going on?
* Like working on a clog?
* Immersing in water or de-clogging solution like Windex?
* Do you have another set of cartridges that you could try installing?
* The message will probably show up even with no carts installed. Is that the case?
* The MX850 and other printers like the iP4500 are very similar. The MX850 print-head will work in the iP4500, but the iP4500 print-head won't necessarily work in the MX850. Could something like that be involved?

If you live near a relatively large city, it might be worth trying to track down a CLI-8 based printer that uses the same print-head ... ip4500, MP610, MP810 ... and getting it so you have a spare backup machine (even with only one print-head)

 

[jwhitens]

The MX850 is a really, really nice printer, especially if you refill your cartridges, so I hope you can bring it back to life. It is one of the few printers I'd describe as nice enough to get a replacement print-head.

It isn't a "throw-away if something goes wrong", but rather in the category, imo, of a printer you want to keep working as long as you can.

* Was there something that happened that might be a factor in what is going on?
* Like working on a clog?
* Immersing in water or de-clogging solution like Windex?
* Do you have another set of cartridges that you could try installing?
* The message will probably show up even with no carts installed. Is that the case?
* The MX850 and other printers like the iP4500 are very similar. The MX850 print-head will work in the iP4500, but the iP4500 print-head won't necessarily work in the MX850. Could something like that be involved?

If you live near a relatively large city, it might be worth trying to track down a CLI-8 based printer that uses the same print-head ... ip4500, MP610, MP810 ... and getting it so you have a spare backup machine (even with only one print-head)

You are correct, this is a darn good printer and I really want to keep it, I don't feel it is a throw-away. just want to know if it is really printerhead problem or something else. just waiting to hear from people who has had success fixing error U052, so if any successes are out there, hook me up.

 

[SuppliesOutlet]

I'd have to recommend buying a new machine. it just doesn't seem like the trouble and cost of fixing it can justify it.

Adrian

 

[Rihac]

Hi,

It could be a sign that the contacts on the back of the printhead are dirty, try removing the printhead and wiping down the contacts on the back of the printhead and also wipe off any excess ink on the base of the printhead. If you have any contact spray you can give it a spray once you have wiped it clean. I would also wipe the contacts inside the printer that the printhead sits against as these may have ink on them.

Reinsert the printhead and hopefully everything is working.

 

[shrub]

re: error U052

I have the same problem and it appears from one of the posts that this is a common problem with the MX850. None of the solutions proposed in this thread have worked. Could it be a ribbon connector problem? Is there an official trouble shooting Canon site. Like others here I hate throwing the thing away. And finally has anyone found that buying a new print head actually fixes the problem?

 

[macnicol]

PIXMA MP960 damned U052 error

Got this message last week on my trusty PIXMA MP960. Tried all of the procedures mentioned above at least a dozen times with no luck. Then I unplugged and let it sit overnight, In the meantime I removed all of the ink and the print head and cleaned the excess ink off the printhead ink jets. Next morning I plugged it, reinstalled the printhead, installed the ink, turned it on and viola! it worked. Then I decided to test it by printing a test page. Everything looked good except for the top black ink pattern for the PGBK ink cartridge, the print was so faint and blank as to be almost non existent. I did several head cleanings with no luck, then did deep cleaning with little success. I created a test page that had a full page of letters and printed it 3 dozen times and started to get better results but still had areas that did not print well. Decided to buy print head solution to cleana and "unclog" the jets thinking they may have dried out when the printhead sat overnight with no ink in it. Did a thorough cleaning and reinstalled everything. Turned on the printer and got the dreaded U052 message! I've tried to repeat what I had done previously but no luck. Even bought another print head off of eBay but I get the same error msg so I don't think it is a printhead issue. Love the printer, scanner specs are better than any other current models regardless of brand and prints pro photo quality prints. Want to save it, so I'm bundling it up and taking it to a local Canon authorized service center even thought it is out of warranty. Does anyone have any other ideas? Some have said it is a temp sensor issue. How is this corrected? Could it be an ink cartridge related issue with non-Canon or refilled cartridges? Is there a way to "reset" or override the error so at least the scanner can be used? This should be a simple software/firmware update to allow bypassing the print error and still use the copy/scanner functions.

 

[macnicol]

Call to Arms for the dreaded U052 Wrong Printhead Error

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.

 

[davemac]

I'm an electronics engineer and had someone bring in one of these today with the same fault. Despite our best efforts, we had to admit defeat with it. Once again we have another company, which seems to place profit before sustainability by favouring 'replace' over 'repair.' No wonder we have climate change with these corporate idiots running the show.

 

[Big Daddy]

I replaced a Canon ink cartridge on my 610 with one from Staples and got this error. Have not been able to find any fixes and went to the Canon print forum too. Unfortunately, they promise to post a fix, but none as of yet has arrived. There is now a class action lawsuit filed by Federman and Sherwood. They are looking for more folk with the error to expand their filings! It's the only way I can see getting any compensation for what has become my new doorstop!

 

[MRB]

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.

The dreaded U052 Error Code has been keeping me awake at night. Always been a faithful Canon supporter but patience is running thin. I to have the same issue with this on my PIXMA MX850 and can't so far find a fix. It is a sad indictment on our world when the only fix the huge corporates can come up with is ditch it and replace it. I will if I have to but can assure Canon it will not be one of their products in future. Has anyone come up with a solution? Please help if you can.

 

[backpaqer]

Mx850 u051/u052

My MX850 seems to be alternating between showing me U051 and U052 errors. I had scanned some documents in successfully and then went to print a test page as my daughter was complaining that she couldn't print from her computer across the network...clicked Print and the printer fired up so I thought it was connecting OK so hit cancel on the test print and it whirred on for a bit and then came up with this error for the first time ever... now I can't do anything with it...and I mainly used this unit for its double-sided scanning...now I have nothing.

I now want a separate double-sided scanner that is not held to ransom by a defective printer!!!

 

[Gasant]

"Error U052, the type of print head is incorrect. Install the correct print head."

Wrong printer head error message.

My solution to by pass error message.
1. Switch off printer.
2. Click print document which will send document to printing que
3. Switch on printer
4. Somehow software gets confused and starts printing.
5. However a minute or so after printing is done, print head error will poip up again

Hope somebody will come up with a better solution. But in the interim I don't have to buy another printer. I can use scan and fax as well.

Hope this help

 

[sympatheticEar]

I have just had this same error message after years of use with the original print head. I am interested in the law suit mentioned above. I cleaned everything and continued to have same message. Don't want to put much energy into this so will probably research and buy another all-in-one since I have a larger format printer that does my photos.

 

[Jude]

Oh no...is there still no answer? I've just got the same error message...and I just stocked up on cartridges!

 

[techuser]

ugh. i just got B200 error code on my mx850.


we love this printer and it wasn't a "throwaway" price when we bought it by any means. How can a company be allowed to incapacitate the entire device just because one aspect needs repair? That is like having the ENGINE on your car shut down because one of your radio knobs doesn't turn.

I am trying the "wash the printer head" option and I hope this thing fires up tonight once the head is dry and reinstalled.

If this doesn't work and I do have to buy a new printer, it won't be Canon, thats for sure. After researching for 1 minute on the internet, I see squillions of forums about this very issue--across many/all of their printer lines. They have been told of this problem for almost 10 years now and don't seem interested in fixing it. Fool me once...shame on you. Fool me twice..shame on me. hello HP! I had a black&white HP printer before this one. My husband bought this Canon Color printer because the kids had HW assignments, etc that needed color printing. When the HP died (after almost 18 years!) I should have stuck with the brand. DUMB. DUMB. DUMB.

if anyone else has ideas on what else to do...I'll be checking back in a few days...please post!!

 

[techuser]

update: kept looking for a solution and stumbled upon this:

If you own/ed a canon inkjet printer and it failed with one of those undefined error codes ... there is now a class action lawsuit that you can join. I just stumbled upon this as my new-ish Canon printer died and I was trying to figure out what the error code means and how to fix the problem.

Turns out, the generic error I got shuts down the entire device and prevents ANY of the functions from working. Mine has fax/scan/print/copy. Even though the real problem (print head dirty) doesn't actually affect all 4 functions and is repairable it renders your entire device USELESS. Canon Tech Support recommends tossing the printer (<1 year old) and buying a new one. What a surprise!

I'm not the lawsuit type, but this is an annoying business practice. It would be like having your car engine shut down if the radio button didn't work.

Check link below for models that are included in the lawsuit.


http://www.canoninkjetprintersettlement.com/canon-inkjet-printer-litigation-home

 

[techuser]

SUCCESS! I removed and washed the print head (see Tom's link here

) and read some of the comments on Toms youtube video. I've got an EE background and not as patient to wash it out with a spoon!!! I rinsed it under hot-hot-hot running water in our garage sink for about 15 minutes, turning it and shaking it to get color out until the water ran clear. i also didn't worry about getting the gold electrical contacts wet. they will air dry and be just fine. I just didn't scratch them up or anything. I will mention that we have soft water (postassium chloride pellets) and so I was a little worried about that, and not using distilled water but what the heck. I thought the printer was dead anyway, and this was a last-ditch effort. Once the water ran clear, I dried the slick plastic parts of the print head by hand and left the rest of it to air-dry outside by leaving it on the patio furniture (resting on fluffy paper). Note: this took hours and the printer was unplugged for this entire time. When I plugged it back up and re-installed the print head I got the same B200 error message. GRRR! Not to be out-done by a DUMB PRINTER, I repeated the cycle of: unplug, wait, replug, turn-on printer many times over the course of the next few hours (whenever I was passing by that room) and on the 7th or 8th try the printer powered up like normal. I even made a copy and it worked fine. HOORAY!
sure it took some elapsed time but at least I was successful. Putting off buying a printer until at least the current ink cartridges are empty. GOOD LUCK TO THE REST OF YOU!