2008 Ducati 848 problems

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL IS LEAKING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE MOTORCYCLE NEAR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH DEFORMATION OF THE GAS TANK AND DUCATI SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE MORE THAN 18 MONTHS HAS PASSED SINCE THE LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN I NOTICED THE LARGE PUDDLE OF FUEL ON THE FLOOR.

NHTSA complaint #10995609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

DUCATI FUEL TANKS ARE LEAKING. DEALERS ARE REPLACING SOME FUEL TANKS FOR ORIGINAL OWNERS. I AM NOT AN ORIGINAL OWNER. MY FUEL TANK IS NOT LEAKING, YET. IF YOU LOG ON TO DUCATI.ORG YOU MAY READ SOME OF THE FORUM POSTINGS. YOU CAN SEARCH FORUM POSTINGS FOR FUEL TANK LEAKS. IT IS HAPPENING ON MULTIPLE MODELS BUILT DURING MULTIPLE YEARS. PLEASE PROTECT US FROM DUCATI AND FORCE DUCATI TO RECALL AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANKS. ETHANOL CAUSES THE PLASTIC FUEL TANKS TO EXPAND AND RUPTURE VENT TUBES. I DO NOT WISH TO BURN AND CRASH. I ALSO DO NOT WISH TO PAY TWO THOUSANDS DOLLARS OR MORE TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. IT WOULD BE CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION FOR ALL DUCATI OWNERS IF YOU WOULD KINDLY ORDER A RECALL OF DUCATI FUEL TANKS. IF THE TANKS ARE LEAKING AND DUCATI ARE REPLACING SOME OF THEM, SHOULD NOT ALL OF THEM BE REPLACED TO PROTECT UNSUSPECTING SECOND-HAND BUYERS? THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT RELATED TO MY FUEL TANK. I HAVE ENTERED AN INCIDENT DATE ONLY BECAUSE YOUR SOFTWARE DEMANDS ONE.

NHTSA complaint #10508152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE RADIATOR DEVELOPED A LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #10505587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

FAILURE OF GAS TANK. GAS TANK SEEMS TO UNDERGO CHANGES OVER TIME A USE. THE CHANGES ARE, SWELLING, LEAKING, INTERNAL FAILURE, DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM. SWELLING CAUSES INABILITY TO TURN HANDLE BARS TO MOVE TO FULL TURN. LEAKING CAUSES HARMFUL GAS FUMES TO BE CONSUMED BY RIDER WHICH CAN LEAD TO CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS, FIRE OR EXPLOSION IS ALSO A PROBLEM. INTERNAL FAILURE ALSO CAUSES THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT ALSO THE INSIDE OF THE TANKS ALSO UNDERGO FLEX AND CAUSE CRACKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE TANKS. DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE MATERIALS THAT MIX AND FALL INTO THE TANK. THIS CAN CLOG THE FUEL LINES CAUSING INJECTOR FAILURE OR EVEN ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10476533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

FAILURE OF GAS TANK. GAS TANK SEEMS TO UNDERGO CHANGES OVER TIME A USE. THE CHANGES ARE, SWELLING, LEAKING, INTERNAL FAILURE, DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM. SWELLING CAUSES INABILITY TO TURN HANDLE BARS TO MOVE TO FULL TURN. LEAKING CAUSES HARMFUL GAS FUMES TO BE CONSUMED BY RIDER WHICH CAN LEAD TO CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS, FIRE OR EXPLOSION IS ALSO A PROBLEM. INTERNAL FAILURE ALSO CAUSES THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT ALSO THE INSIDE OF THE TANKS ALSO UNDERGO FLEX AND CAUSE CRACKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE TANKS. DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE MATERIALS THAT MIX AND FALL INTO THE TANK. THIS CAN CLOG THE FUEL LINES CAUSING INJECTOR FAILURE OR EVEN ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10476533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FAILURE OF GAS TANK. GAS TANK SEEMS TO UNDERGO CHANGES OVER TIME A USE. THE CHANGES ARE, SWELLING, LEAKING, INTERNAL FAILURE, DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM. SWELLING CAUSES INABILITY TO TURN HANDLE BARS TO MOVE TO FULL TURN. LEAKING CAUSES HARMFUL GAS FUMES TO BE CONSUMED BY RIDER WHICH CAN LEAD TO CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS, FIRE OR EXPLOSION IS ALSO A PROBLEM. INTERNAL FAILURE ALSO CAUSES THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT ALSO THE INSIDE OF THE TANKS ALSO UNDERGO FLEX AND CAUSE CRACKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE TANKS. DAMAGE TO FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE MATERIALS THAT MIX AND FALL INTO THE TANK. THIS CAN CLOG THE FUEL LINES CAUSING INJECTOR FAILURE OR EVEN ENGINE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #10476533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE OF RADIATOR MOUNT CRACKED AND STARTS TO LEAK. I HEARD FROM MY FRIENDS, DEALER AND RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DUCATI.ORG FORUM. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2008 DUCATI 848 AND MANY OTHERS WERE SAYING THIS IS THE FACTORY FAILURE AND KNOWN DEFECT. RADIATOR LEAK CAUSED BY WEAKENED MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS DESIGN FLAW IS DUE TO EXTRA WEIGHT PLACED ON THE LEFT SIDE MOUNTING BRACKET FROM THE BATTERY MOUNTED ON THE SAME BRACKET. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AS IT CAUSED EXTREMELY HOT COOLANT TO SPRAY OUT OF THE LEFT FAIRING ON TO THE RIDER'S LEG, IN ADDITION TO CAUSING A CRASH DUE TO LUBRICATED FLUID BEING EXPELLED UNDER THE BIKE WHICH COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE REAR TIRE AND THE ROAD. THIS ITEM NEEDS A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE.

NHTSA complaint #10455821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MANY OWNERS ARE REPORTING THAT THEIR DEFECTIVE TANK WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE TANK, SO THEY ARE ON THEIR SECOND OR THIRD FUEL TANK. IT SEEMS TO BE PRIMARILY AN ISSUE WITH FUEL IN THE US, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS SHOWING UP IN EUROPE. THE CONSENSUS ON THE WEB IS THAT THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE ADDITION OF ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE, BUT THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF MOTORCYCLES THAT HAVE USED ETHANOL TAINTED GAS FOR YEARS AND HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEMS WITH DEFORMATION. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IN MANY CASES THE DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES. WITH SOME MOTORCYCLES THE DEFORMATION CAUSES THE FUEL TANK TO GET IN THE WAY OF THE HANDLEBARS WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS, AND WITH DUCATI SPORT CLASSICS THE DEFORMATION PREVENTS THE TANK FROM ATTACHING TO THE MOTORCYCLE FRAME CORRECTLY WHICH MIGHT CAUSE THE TANK TO COME OFF THE MOTORCYCLE DURING A CRASH. THE TANKS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM ARE REPORTEDLY MADE OF PA6 POLYAMIDE PLASTIC AND WERE MANUFACTURED FROM 2005 TO 2010. AT LEAST SOME OF THE TANKS WERE OUTSOURCED BY THE MANUFACTURERS AND WERE MADE BY ACERBIS. AT LEAST ONE MANUFACTURER IS REPLACING THE TANKS FOR FREE UNDER THE US EMISSIONS REGULATIONS FOR FIVE YEARS BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED NO WRITTEN STATEMENT TO CUSTOMERS THAT THE WARRANTY WILL CONTINUE BEYOND THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

NHTSA complaint #10441141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

MY 2008 DUCATI 848 (WHICH ONLY HAS 4100 MILES ON IT) DEVELOPED A RADIATOR LEAK ON THE REAR-LEFT UPPER SIDE OF THE RADIATOR. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP THE LEAK. MY BIKE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR TWO WEEKS AND WAS NOT TOUCHED BY ANYONE. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE, RIDERS MAY BE IN DANGER AS RADIATOR FLUID MAY LEAK ONTO THE FRONT TIRE AND/OR FRONT BRAKES.

NHTSA complaint #10418638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DUCATI 848 MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING ABNORMALLY FROM THE REAR. THERE WAS NO ROAD HAZARD THAT CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER WITHIN THE NEXT TWO DAYS FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,600.

NHTSA complaint #10402068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

1. MY 2008 DUCATI 848 MOTORCYCLE DEVELOPED A RADIATOR LEAK. THERE ARE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OTHER THAN NORMAL RIDING. MY MOTORCYCLE HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. 2. THE FAILURE IS A LEAKING RADIATOR. CONSEQUENCES ARE HIGHER RISK OF CRASH (DUE TO SLICK FLUID EMANATING FROM THE MACHINE), AND MASSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO OVERHEATING. 3. NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF SERVICE.

NHTSA complaint #10350464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND 170F-215F DEGREE HOT COOLANT/ANTIFREEZE BEGAN BLOWING ONTO MY LEG. THE RADIATOR ON MY 2008 DUCATI 848 WITH ONLY 4,000 MILES, WHICH IS A KNOWN DUCATI 848 PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO RECALL, BEGAN TO LEAK FROM THE UPPER LEFT BRACKET AREA. CALLED DUCATI NORTH AMERICA AND THEY WERE NOT VERY FRIENDLY AND LESS THAN WILLING TO OFFER A SOLUTION. WILL EVENTUALLY BE A INJURY OR CRASH DUE TO THIS COOLANT/RADIATOR LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #10328877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

I OWN A 2008 DUCATI 848 MOTORCYCLE. IT HAS ONLY 4000 MILES ON IT AND THE RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING. THE LEAK ON THE RADIATOR IS LOCATED ON TOP OF THE RADIATOR WHERE RADIATOR MOUNTING BRACKET IS LOCATED. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RADIATOR IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE FRONT WHEEL OF THE MOTORCYCLE WHERE 80 PERCENT OF BRAKING IS MOSTLY DONE AND ALSO STEERING. I INFORMED DEALERSHIP ABOUT LEAK AND THEY SAID IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MOTORCYCLE. THE DEALERSHIP ORDERED RADIATOR FROM ITALY AND WAIT TIMES VARY FROM A WEEK TO 3-4 WEEKS (EVEN MORE WHEN DUCATI GOES ON THEIR 1MONTH VACATION). I WAS ALSO TOLD BY SERVICE DIRECTOR OF DEALERSHIP THAT PART IS NOT AN UPDATED RADIATOR. CONTACTED DUCATI OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SEEM OBLIVIOUS OF MY COMPLAINT. I AM A MEMBER OF A FEW MOTORCYCLE FORUMS AND MOST 848 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM (SOME OF THEM HAVE INSTALLED THEIR SECOND RADIATOR DUE TO THE DAME PROBLEM). I AM STILL WAITING ON MY RADIATOR AND IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 1 WEEK (WENT TO DEALERSHIP ON JULY 16TH).

NHTSA complaint #10278288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.