2007 Ducati 1000GT Fuel system Problems

GAS TANK REACTING WITH ETHANOL IN FUEL CREATING A CONDITION WHERE THE TANK DISTORTS FROM ORIGINAL SHAPE AND FALL OFF ITS MOUNTS. THIS CREATES A CONDITION WHERE THE TANK INTERFERES WITH THE STEERING OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND ANOTHER CONDITION WHERE THE TANK WEARS ON THE FRAME AND MAY PRODUCE TANK FAILURE WITH FUEL LEAKAGE ONTO ENGINE AND EXHAUST SYSTEM.... NO RESPONSE AT ALL FROM DUCATI DEALERSHIP REGARDING ISSUE, THE REPLACEMENT TANK THAT IS AVAILABLE IS THE SAME AS ORIGINAL AND AN AFTERMARKET ALUMINUM TANK REPLACEMENT COSTS $2700 PLUS PAINT, DECALS AND FITTING, ANOTHER $800. TOTAL $3500, THIS IS 30% OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE OF THE MOTORCYCLE...I FEEL IT IS UP TO THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO ITS JOB AND CORRECT THIS DANGEROUS, EXPENSIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511469

Incident

May 6, 2012

Mileage

3,050 mi

THE GAS TANK DEFORMED SO MUCH THAT INSTEAD OF A THREE POINT FIT, IT IS NOW ONLY HELD IN PLACE BY THE BOLT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SEAT. THE TANK CAN EASILY BE LIFTED UP ON THE FRONT OF THE BIKE. THE TANK HAS ALSO DEVELOPED 'DIMPLES' ON THE SURFACE (AS IN LARGE 'DENT'). BASICALLY THE TANK IS COLLAPSING. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD GAS TANK REPLACEMENT FOR THIS BIKE. DUCATI COVERS IT UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT IS GUARANTEED THAT THIS ISSUE WILL RE-OCCUR. CURRENTLY THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO HAVE THE NEW TANK COATED BY A THIRD PARTY. THE COST FOR THIS IS NOT COVERED BY DUCATI (APPROX. $300) AND THIS PREVENTATIVE STEP WILL EFFECTIVELY VOID THE WARRANTY. THE COATING OF THE TANK MAY OR MAY NOT PREVENT THIS ISSUE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. BUT SHOULD THE SAME ISSUE OCCUR AGAIN A REPLACEMENT MAY NO LONGER BE COVERED BY DUCATI. *TR

NHTSA ID

10481158

Incident

Oct 19, 2012

Mileage

13,000 mi

THE GAS TANK HAS SPREAD / SWELLED. YOU CAN PICK THE GAS TANK UP OFF OF THE FRAME BECAUSE THE CLIPS NO LONGER HOLD IT IN PLACE. ALSO, WHEN YOU TURN THE HANDLEBARS FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT THE RUB INTO THE GAS TANK. THE TANK ALSO HAS BUBBLES FORMING IN PAINT FROM THE SPREAD / SWELL. AS OF 4/1/2012 DEALER STATED DUCATI NORTH AMERICA IS REFUSING TO REPLACE TANK UNDER CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10453691

Incident

Sep 1, 2011

Mileage

400 mi

THE GAS TANK HAS DEFORMED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO DETACH ITSELF FROM THE FACTORY MOUNTINGS AND NOW INTERFERE WITH THE FRONT FORKS AS TO IMPAIR FULL RANGE OF STEERING. THE TANK IS NOW RESTING ON THE WIRING HARNESS AND FRAME OF THE MOTORCYCLE AS TO CAUSE POSSIBLE WEAR THROUGH OF HARNESS OR TANK, . IF THE TANK LEAKS FROM ITS WEAR POINTS IT WILL LEAK FUEL DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE. AND ELECTRICAL SHORT BETWEEN FRAME AND GAS TANK NEEDS NO FURTHER DESCRIPTION.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447191

Incident

Feb 8, 2012

Mileage

3,279 mi

FUEL TANK EXPANSION LOOSENS TANK WHERE IT CAN COME OFF EASILY. THIS TANK WAS ALREADY REPLACED 1 1/2 YRS AGO & WHILE I JUST NOTICED IT, I WASN'T AWARE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR UNTIL VISITING DEALER & OTHER CUSTOMER INSPECTED MY TANK TO COMPARE TO HIS. APPARENTLY MINE HAD BEEN SPREADING FOR SOME TIME PRIOR. DEALER HAS SAID DUCATI HAD BRACKET & WILL INSTALL AT NO CHARGE. MY CONCERN IS TANK INTEGRITY FROM SPREADING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10398292

Incident

Mar 20, 2011

Mileage

10,000 mi

FIRST INCIDENT OF TANK SPREADING AND COMING LOOSE FROM RETAINER 9/07 AND WAS SHIMMIED TO MAKE FUEL TANK SECURE. SECOND INCIDENT OF FUEL TANK SPREADING 6/08 AND WAS SHIMMIED AGAIN. THIRD TIME 8/09 AND FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED WITH NEW PART. NEW FUEL TANK IS NOW (3/11) EXHIBITING SAME SPREADING AND COMING LOOSE FROM FRONT RETAINER.

NHTSA ID

10391109

Incident

Sep 13, 2007

Mileage

509 mi

THE PLASTIC GAS TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI GT1000 MOTORCYCLE IS "SPREADING", MEANING THAT IT IS EXPANDING HORIZONTALLY, AND IS NO LONGER HELD IN PLACE WITH IT'S ORIGINAL 2 FRONT-END MOUNTS (THE REAR OF THE TANK IS MOUNTED AT A SINGLE POINT, AND IT NOT AN ISSUE). TWICE I HAVE REMOVED THE TANK, AND USING WASHERS AND LONGER BOLTS, MOVED THE MOUNTING BRACKETS OUT FROM THE FRAME IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE FUEL TANK. LAST YEAR, I INCREASED TO 5 WASHERS ON EACH SIDE, WHICH HAVE MOVED EACH BRACKET OUT ABOUT 1/4 INCH. HOWEVER, ON RECENT INSPECTION, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TANK IS FALLING OUT OF THE BRACKET AGAIN (SO TOTAL TANK EXPANSION IS NOW MINIMALLY 3/4 INCHES AT THE BASE). ** AT SOME POINT VERY SOON, THE FRONT OF MY GAS TANK WILL NO LONGER BE PHYSICALLY ATTACHED TO THE MOTORCYCLE ** IN DEC 2010, I INQUIRED TO A LOCAL DUCATI DEALER ABOUT A WARRANTY CLAIM, BUT HE EMAILED ME: "SORRY, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT PERFORM WARRANTY WORK FOR DUCATI. THEY OWE US WELL OVER $10,000 IN UNPAID WARRANTY CLAIMS. EVIDENTLY THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY US. UNTIL THEY MAKE GOOD ON THE UNPAID WORK, WE CANNOT ASSIST THEM FURTHER WITH THEIR EXTENSIVE WARRANTY PROBLEMS. WE HAVE SUFFERED A HUGE FINANCIAL LOSS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM." (6 MONTHS EARLIER, I HAD CALLED MY OTHER LOCAL DUCATI DEALER. AFTER PROVIDING MY VIN, HE APPARENTLY CHECKED SOME LIST AND TOLD ME THAT THE VIN NUMBER RANGE FOR DEFECTIVE TANKS DID NOT INCLUDE MY NUMBER; THAT MY TANK IS GOOD. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT TRUE). THIS IS AN EVOLVING ISSUE, SO THE INCIDENT DATE USED WITH THIS SUBMISSION REFLECTS THE DATE OF THE DEALER EMAIL EXCHANGE. IN THEORY, THIS LIKELY STARTED AT THE DATE OF MFG OF THE TANK. *LN

NHTSA ID

10375217

Incident

Dec 30, 2010

THE FUEL TANK ON MY MOTORCYCLE IS DEFORMING DUE TO THE ETHANOL THAT IS PUT IN GASOLINE. IT HAS DEFORMED TO THE POINT THAT IT DOES NOT SIT IN IT'S MOUNTS PROPERLY AND HAS BECOME LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE TANK, THEY HAVE INSTEAD MODIFIED THE MOUNTS TWICE. THE TANK CONTINUES TO DEFORM AND KEEPS COMING LOOSE. DUCATI NEEDS TO MANUFACTURE A TANK THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY ETHANOL AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TANK WITH THE NEW STYLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10372383

Incident

Nov 30, 2010

Mileage

1,000 mi

WITH THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST DUCATI REGARDING DEFORMED TANKS, THE DEALER FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE MY TANK. HOWEVER TO MY SURPRISE, IT IS THE IDENTICAL FUEL TANK THAT WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. OTHER MANUFACTURERS SWITCHED TO METAL TANKS. I AM CERTAIN THAT MY TANK WILL BEGIN TO DEFORM AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WANT TO GET THE PROPER REPLACEMENT THAT WOULD NOT ENDANGER THE RIDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369506

Incident

Dec 7, 2010

Mileage

1,250 mi

FUEL TANK ON 2007 DUCATI SPORTCLASSIC GT1000 EXPANDED AND DEFORMED TO THE POINT WHERE RIGHT ATTACHMENT POINT IS INEFFECTIVE. CRACKS APPEAR NEAR GAS CAP IN SEVERAL PLACES. TANK WAS SHIMMIED ONCE TO ACCOUNT FOR EXPANSION, BUT EXPANSION HAS CONTINUED TO THE POINT THAT THE TANK CONTACTS HANDLEBARS WHEN TURNING SHARPLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369499

Incident

Oct 1, 2010

Mileage

19,500 mi

FUEL TANK DEFORMS RESULTING IN THE TANK NOT FITTING PROPERLY IN MOUNTING BRACKET. TANK COULD DISENGAGE FROM MOUNT WHILE OPERATING THE MOTORCYCLE. FUEL PUMP IS MOUNTED IN TANK. DEFORMATION AROUND THE FUEL PUMP MOUNTING SITE COULD RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK, SPILLING FUEL ONTO A HOT ENGINE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE WHILE MOTORCYCLE IS IN OPERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369406

Incident

Dec 6, 2007

Mileage

1,900 mi

PLASTIC FUEL TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI GT1000 SPORT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE HAS BECOME WARPED/DEFORMED AND CAME FREE FROM ITS FRAME MOUNTS AS A RESULT. SEVERITY OF ISSUE PRESENTED ITSELF WHILE I WAS OPERATING THE MOTORCYCLE, REPRESENTING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TOOK MOTORCYCLE TO REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE SHIMS INSTALLED SO FUEL TANK WOULD NOT BE LOOSE, BUT THE WARPING HAS CONTINUED. FUEL TANK IS NOW AGAIN LOOSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369137

Incident

Oct 16, 2007

Mileage

2,200 mi

THE FUEL TANK ON MY 2007 DUCATI GT 1000 HAS EXPANDED/DEFORMED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS NOT SECURE ON THE FRAME. THIS HAPPENED DUE TO EXPOSURE TO ETHANLOL, AS FAR AS ANYONE'S BEST GUESS. NO TRAUMA, HEAT, OR UNUSUAL FORCES CAME TO BEAR, THE MOTORCYCLE STAYS IN A GARAGE EXCEPT WHEN RIDDEN. THE TANK WAS REPLACED ONCE FOR THIS PROBLEM BY DUCATI, AND IT HAS NOW RE-OCCURRED ON THE REPLACEMENT. OBVIOUSLY, NO PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION HAS BEEN DEVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TANK FROM DUCATI. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366935

Incident

Jun 15, 2007

Mileage

3,059 mi

THE PLASTIC GAS TANK ON MY DUCATI GT-1000 MOTORCYCLE IS PROGRESSIVELY DEFORMING. IT HAS NOT ONLY CHANGED SHAPE OVER TIME, BUT SEEMS TO BE "BLEBBING" IN SPOTS AS WELL. BECAUSE OF THIS DEFORMATION THE TANK NO LONGER SECURELY FASTENS TO THE MOTORCYCLE AND HAS SUBSTANTIAL WOBBLE ON ITS MOUNTS. IF THE DEFORMATION CONTINUES AT ITS CURRENT RATE I ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO COMPLETELY LIFT THE GAS TANK OFF THE MOTORCYCLE BY NEXT YEAR DUE TO THE WARPED SHAPE AND FAILURE TO PROPERLY REMAIN FASTENED TO THE FRAME MOUNTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366916

Incident

Oct 27, 2009

Mileage

3,500 mi

DUCATI SPORT CLASSIC GT1000, YEAR 2007 COMMONLY KNOWN GAS TANK DEFORMATION DUE TO ETHANOL IN THE GAS IN THE US MARKET. DUCATI KNOWS IT SO THEY'VE BEEN REPLACING TANKS FOR ALL MODELS WITH PLASTIC TANKS. BUT IT'S NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION, AND THE WARRANTY IS ONLY 5 YEARS. WHICH MEANS AFTER 5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THE MOTORCYCLE, WE HAVE TO PAY 1000+ FOR TANK REPLACEMENT OURSELVES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366900

Incident

Aug 31, 2008

Mileage

6,500 mi

ON MY 2007 DUCAT GT1000 MOTORCYCLE, THE GAS TANK IS FAULTY AND THE TANK IS SPREADING AS TIME PASSES. MY TANK HAS SPREAD ENOUGH THAT THE FRONT RIGHT PART OF THE TANK IS TOUCHING THE FORK WHEN CRANKED TO THE RIGHT. IT IS ALSO INCREASINGLY BECOMING LOSE FROM THE MOUNTING BRACKETS AND TANK CAN BE MOVED UP AND DOWN. I WILL BE TAKING THE MOTORCYCLE INTO A LOCAL DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362366

Incident

Oct 25, 2010

Mileage

2,200 mi

2007 DUCATI GT1000 FUEL TANK IS SPREADING BEYOND ITS MOUNTING POINTS ON THE FRAME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356778

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

1,100 mi

MY 2007 DUCATI MULTISTRADA'S PLASTIC GAS TANK HAS EXPANDED AND IS STARTING TO SEEP FUEL NEAR THE EXHAUST. UPON SEARCHING MULTISTRADA.NET I FOUND THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALMOST EVERY MULTISTRADA FROM MODEL YEARS 03 TO 09. DUCATI IS REPLACING SOME OF THE EXPANDED AND LEAKING TANKS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. I'VE SUBMITTED A CLAIM AND AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM AS TO IF THEY WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TANK. REPORTS SAY THAT THE TANKS ARE EXPANDING BECAUSE THE PLASTIC IS REACTING TO THE ETHANOL IN OUR FUEL. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT TANK WILL BE MADE OF THE SAME MATERIAL AND WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL IF I DO NOT PAY TO HAVE THE INTERIOR OF THE TANK LINED WITH EPOXY PRIOR TO USE. THE AREA OF THE TANK THAT LEAKS WILL DUMP FUEL ON THE REAR TIRE, AND POSSIBLY HIT THE EXHAUST. EITHER COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. WITH HUNDREDS, OR POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF THESE BIKES ON THE ROAD IN THE U.S. DUCATI NEEDS TO HELD ACCOUNTABLE. NOTE: THE VEHICLE IS A DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1100S. IT WAS NOT LISTED IN YOUR LIST OF MODELS SO I CHOSE THE GT 1000, WHICH INCIDENTALLY ALSO HAS THE SAME GAS TANK ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10355658

Incident

Sep 14, 2010

Mileage

4,300 mi

I HAVE A 2007 DUCATI GT 1000 THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW (NON-CURRENT) FROM OHIO MOTORCYCLE IN OAKWOOD, OHIO IN 2009. I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT MY STOCK POLYCARBONATE FUEL TANK IS "SPREADING". THAT IS TO SAY, THAT THE TANK HAS CHANGED IN SIZE. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE BECAUSE THE TANK IS HELD ON IN THREE PLACES. FIRST THERE IS A BOLT THAT SECURES THE TANK. SECOND, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE ARE TWO "C" SHAPED BRACKETS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. ON THE UNDERSIDES OF THE FUEL TANK ARE TWO RUBBER KNOBS THAT FIT INSIDE THE C SHAPED BRACKETS THAT PREVENT THE FUEL TANK FROM COMING LOOSE OR MOVING AROUND TWO MUCH SHOULD THE BOLT COME LOOSE. THE "SPREADING" OF THE FUEL TANK CAUSES THE RUBBER KNOBS TO NO LOGER FIT INSIDE THE C SHAPED BRACKETS WHICH MEANS THE ONLYTHING SECURING THE FUEL TANK TO THE BIKE IS ONE SINGLE BOLT!! IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AMONG DUCATI OWNERS AND WHEN I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE SCARIEST PART IS THAT DUCATI IS REPLACING THE FUEL TANKS WITH THE EXACT SAME FUEL TANK WHICH PROBABLY ONLY PERPETUATES THE PROBLEM. THIS IS SERIOUSLY SCARY! WHAT IF THAT BOLT CAME LOOSE AND THE FOUL TANK FLEW OFF THE BIKE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10354177

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

1,330 mi

FUEL TANK EXPANDS OVER TIME AND COMES LOOSE FROM THE MOUNTS. FUEL TANK IS COMPLETELY OFF OF IT'S MOUNTS. THIS IS THE THIRD TANK ON THE MOTORCYCLE. ALL 3 TANKS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341432

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

Mileage

3,500 mi

2007 DUCATI GT1000 TANK SPLITTING, FALLING OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328190

Incident

Apr 24, 2010

Mileage

26,214 mi

2007 DUCATI GT 1000 SPORT CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE : GAS TANK IS MADE OF SOME SORT OF PLASTIC AND HAS DEFORMED SO MUCH THAT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE FRAME IS NO LONGER EFFECTIVE AND ALLOWS THE TANK TO FLOP AROUND ON THE FRAME. THE PAINT HAS DISTORTED AND BUBBLED IN TWO PLACES AS WELL. I TOOK THE MOTORCYCLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WILL REPLACE THE TANK UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER, THE NEW TANK I WILL RECEIVE IS THE EXACT SAME SPECIFICATION TANK AS THE ONE THAT HAS JUST FAILED. SO, I HAVE THIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE AGAIN -- AND, OF COURSE, WORRY THAT THE "WARRANTY" MAY NOT BE COVERING IT THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS. IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO HAVE A GAS TANK THAT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO RE-DESIGN WHEN SHOWN THAT THE DESIGN IS POOR - IT'S BOTH DANGEROUS AND COSTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313123

Incident

Feb 15, 2010

Mileage

3,450 mi