DUCATI IS RECALLING 732 MODEL YEAR 2009 1198 S, 1098 R, AND F1098 S STREETFIGHTER MOTORCYCLES

Jun 01, 2009 — Recall Campaign #09V197000

DUCATI IS RECALLING 732 MODEL YEAR 2009 1198 S, 1098 R, AND F1098 S STREETFIGHTER MOTORCYCLES. THE RIGHT FORK MAY HAVE POSSIBLE CRACKING A DEFORMATION AT THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE FORK BOTTOM WHEEL AXLE PINCH BOLT AREA.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 732 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

09V197000

Manufacturer:	Ducati North America
Recall date:	June 01, 2009
NHTSA Campaign #:	09V197000
Units affected:	732

Description:: DUCATI IS RECALLING 732 MODEL YEAR 2009 1198 S, 1098 R, AND F1098 S STREETFIGHTER MOTORCYCLES. THE RIGHT FORK MAY HAVE POSSIBLE CRACKING A DEFORMATION AT THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE FORK BOTTOM WHEEL AXLE PINCH BOLT AREA.
Consequeces:: CRACKING OF THE FORK MAY LEAD TO A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Corrective action:: DUCATI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE AFFECTED MOTORCYCLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 16, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DUCATI TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-231-6696.
Notes:: DUCTAI'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. RCL-09-004.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

Affects the following:

2009 DUCATI 1098R Complaints
REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V638000 2009 DUCATI 1098R BAYLISS LE ORIGINAL DELIVERY DATE, 05/22/2009, 0 MILES, $43,618.65 FIRST OCCURRENCE ON 11/12/2011, 11,400 MILES, LOSS OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS, ENGINE STALLING AND OCCURRED DURING OPERATION ON A STREET. DEALER REPLACED FAULTY VOLTAGE REGULATOR UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY POLICY. SECOND OCCURRENCE ON 05/28/2016, 20,648 MILES, LOSS OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS, EXPLODED BATTERY, BURNT ALTERNATOR WIRING, BURNT TRACTION/STABILITY CONTROL COMPUTER AS A RESULT OF THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR FAILING AND ALLOWING 18.2 VOLTS THROUGH THE WHOLE SYSTEM. THIS OCCURRENCE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND/OR VEHICLE FIRE. DUCATI IS REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE OR HONOR THE SUBJECT NHTSA RECALL, CLAIMING THE VIN NUMBER IS OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF THE CAMPAIGN AND THAT THE UPDATED VOLTAGE REGULATOR IS NOT FAULTY. THIS IS A BASIC DESIGN FLAW ON THIS SERIES OF MOTORCYCLES DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR ADJACENT TO THE FRONT EXHAUST HEADER PIPE ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY AND EXPOSED TO EXTREME HEAT (REFERENCE ATTACHED DIAGRAM, 2009 DUCATI 1098R REGULATOR POSITION.JPG). THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS REPAIR IS $2062 AND AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, DUCATI IS REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REPAIR COSTS (REFERENCE ATTACHED DOCUMENT, REPAIR ORDER.PDF) EVEN WITH THE INSISTENCE OF THE LOCAL DUCATI INDIANAPOLIS OWNER. THIS MOTORCYCLE HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES DURING ITS FIRST 2 YEARS, BEING AT THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY A CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE FIRST 24 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE THAT DUCATI IS WELL AWARE OF WITH THE REDESIGN OF THE NEXT GENERATION MODEL, 1199 PANIGALE IN 2012 BY RELOCATING THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO THE UPPER LEFT FAIRING AREA, ABOVE THE ENGINE, WITH NO ADJACENT HEAT SOURCE AND ADEQUATE AIR FLOW (REFERENCE ATTACHED DIAGRAM 2012 DUCATI 1199 PANIGALE REGULATOR POSTION.JPG).;
2009 DUCATI 1198S Complaints
AFTER PURCHASING A 2009 DUCATI 1198S ON 8/3/2018, I DISCOVERED THAT THE MOTORCYCLE HAD 2 OPEN SAFETY RECALLS. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO A DUCATI DEALER TO PERFORM THE RECALLS. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT 1 OF THE RECALLS (NHTSA #09V-170; MANUFACTURER #RCL-09-003) IS NOT NEEDED AND THAT THE OTHER RECALL (NHTSA #09V-381; MANUFACTURER #RCL-09-005) CANNOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE RECALL REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE GAS TANK AND THE GAS TANK CANNOT RELIABLY BE REMOVED AND REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS SWOLLEN (SEE ATTACHED REPAIR ORDER). THE GAS TANK IS SWOLLEN DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT (SEE ATTACHED NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT). THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT PROVIDES FOR FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE GAS TANK WITHIN 6 YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE DATE (THAT WAS PROBABLY IN 2009 OR 2010), BUT THIS TIME PERIOD EXPIRED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DEALER INFORMED ME, AFTER INQUIRING WITH DUCATI ABOUT REPLACING MY GAS TANK FOR FREE, THAT THE 09V-381 SAFETY RECALL CANNOT BE PERFORMED UNLESS I PAY APPROXIMATELY $1300 FOR A NEW GAS TANK. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS NOT WILLING TO PAY $1300 FOR A FACTORY DEFECT (SEE ATTACHED EMAIL). AS A RESULT, THE DEALER DID NOT PERFORM THE 09V-381 SAFETY RECALL AND I PICKED UP THE MOTORCYCLE. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $1300 TO GET A SAFETY RECALL PERFORMED. DUCATI SHOULD REPLACE MY GAS TANK, AND PERFORM THE 09V-381 SAFETY RECALL, FREE OF CHARGE.;