DUCATI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DUCATI 1098 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK SWELLED TO MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS ITS NORMAL SIZE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ETHANOL USED IN GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED BUT THE FUEL TANK WOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE SAME TYPE OF FUEL TANK THAT PREVIOUSLY FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

I BOUGHT A 06 MONSTER 620 DARK BACK IN FEB 06. THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM IS CLOSED. HAD THE BIKE SERVICED ONLY BY THE ORIGINAL DEALER WHEN IT WAS SERVICED. THE BIKE HAS 3600 MILES ON SO I GO TO WORK ON IT TO JUST CLEAN IT UP AND CHANGE THE OIL AND I CAN'T GET THE TANK TO LATCH. SO I GO ON LINE TO LOOK FOR A FIX AND START FINDING THE ISSUES ABOUT THE TANK EXPANSION. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, THE HANDLEBARS HIT IT ON TURNING, AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH. PREVIOUSLY IT OPENED AND CLOSED WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW I HAVE TO WEDGE IT AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH TO CLOSE IT. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER (HATTAR MOTORSPORTS) WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY). I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WILL BE REPLACED. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW. THE TANK'S SWELLING HAS MADE IT SO THE HANDLEBARS DO NOT TURN CORRECTLY. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT WILL SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 620. THE CONTACT STATED HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V020000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY OFFERED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. HE STATED THAT THE REMEDY WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY REPAIR TO THE FAILURE AND WOULD NOT ACTUALLY CORRECT THE ISSUE ITSELF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE REMEDY WAS AN ADEQUATE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

2006 DUCATI SPORT CLASSIC THE FUEL TANK EXPANDED AND NO LONGER REST ON THE FORWARD SUPPORTS. THE TANK ALSO IS DEFORMED AND SMALL BLISTER APPEARED. *LN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 620 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GASOLINE FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM TO REMOVE THE TANK AND BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION. THE TANK WAS REMOVED AND THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THE VEHICLE WAS EXPIRED AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,200.

ETHANOL REACTS WITH THE PLASTIC TANK CAUSING IT TO EXPAND RESULTING IN POSSIBLE GAS LEAKING. WARPING OF THE TANK AND EXPANSION SIGNS ARE VISIBLE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE, 2008 DUCATI S2R1000 (NOT AN OPTION ON THE NEXT VEHICLE SELECTOR), HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH. PREVIOUSLY IT OPENED AND CLOSED WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW I HAVE TO WEDGE IT AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH TO CLOSE IT. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME WHICH MAKES THE GAS TANK SIT TO ONE SIDE. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK, FUELING SYSTEM OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY NOTED THEY WOULD MONITOR IT FOR REPLACE. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW. THE TANK'S SWELLING HAS CAUSED IT SIT INCORRECTLY AND HAVE LARGE BUBBLES. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT WILL SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING. *TR

MY MOTORCYCLE CAME WITH A POLYAMIDE PA6 GAS TANK WHICH EXPANDED. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK INCREASED UNTIL IT DID NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, THE HANDLEBAR SWITCH HIT THE TANK WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE FRONT SUSPENSION FORK TUBE HIT THE TANK WHEN STEERED TO THE LEFT, AND THE TANK BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT AND REAR BODYWORK PANELS, WHICH ATTACH TO THE TANK, BEGAN TO BECOME DAMAGED AT THEIR ATTACHMENT POINTS DUE TO THE PRESSURE ON THEM FROM THE EXPANDING TANK. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER, WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY). THE ORIGINAL TANK WAS REPLACED IN 4/2010 UNDER A "GOODWILL PROGRAM". THE DEALER DID NOT MENTION WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT TANK WAS DESIGNED TO CORRECT THE EXPANSION PROBLEM. THE REPLACEMENT TANK BEGAN TO SHOW THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF EXPANSION WITHIN 6 MONTHS; BY 10/2010, THE BODY PARTS WERE AGAIN MISALIGNED AND DANGEROUSLY STRESSED AT THEIR ATTACHMENT POINTS. I AM CONCERNED THAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE STEERING WILL OCCUR AGAIN, AS WITH THE ORIGINAL TANK, OR THAT THE SEAL OF THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS SEATED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK, WILL FAIL, DUE TO THE DISTORTION OF THE TANK. ON 2/4/2011, DUCATI NORTH AMERICA RELEASED A RECALL NOTICE THAT REFERENCES NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 11V020. THE RECALL LETTER DESCRIBES A PROBLEM WITH FUEL SEEPAGE CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE SEAL BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE AND THE FUEL TANK. THE CORRECTION OFFERED IS A REPLACEMENT FLANGE TO TANK SEAL WITH AN "X" CROSS-SECTION. I CONTEND THAT THIS TYPE OF GASKET IS A NON-STANDARD FUEL PUMP GASKET, AND IS A DANGEROUS BAND-AID SOLUTION THAT IGNORES THE CAUSE, WHICH IS FUEL TANK EXPANSION. *TR

RE: NHTSA 11V020 2004 DUCATI MTS 1000. I HAVE RECEIVED THE NOTICE REGARDING THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE O-RING AT THE FUEL TANK-PUMP FLANGE. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE O-RING IS NOT THE PROBLEM WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES AND THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY, BANDAID SOLUTION AT BEST. THE REAL ISSUE IS THE POLYMER FUEL TANKS ARE EXPANDING/WARPING DUE TO ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE. WHILE MINE HAS NOT LEAKED YET, IT IS SHOWING CLEAR SIGNS OF TANK WARPAGE AND EVEN WITH AN IMPROVED O-RING I AM CONCERNED IT WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO LEAK GASOLINE. EVEN BEFORE LEAKS DEVELOP, OWNERS ARE REPORTING PROBLEMS REMOVING AND REINSTALLING THE FUEL TANKS DUE TO EXPANSION AND WARPAGE. THE ONLY REAL FIX TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO HAVE DUCATI AND/OR THEIR FUEL TANK SUPPLIER (ACERBIS) REPLACE THE TANKS WITH UNITS THAT DO NOT REACT WITH GASOLINE CONTAINING ETHANOL. IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE NHTSA CAN BRING THE REQUIRED PRESSURE TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN, THEREBY HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THE OWNERS/RIDERS OF THESE MOTORCYCLES ARE OPERATING SAFE MACHINES. *TR