2008 Ducati 848

After opening this PE, ODI gathered information from involved owners, Ducati dealers, and Ducati North America personnel.We were particularly interested in ascertaining how much hot coolant was leaking and whether it had the potential to burn the rider and/or wash the rear tire contact patch.On November 23, 2010, using a complaint radiator installed in a MY 2010 Ducati 848, we observed the subject leakage noting its consistency with what we were told by various dealers and owners.Over the course of 15 minutes, after reaching operating temperature, we noted the volume of leaked coolant to be de minimis.In the absence of alleged lower extremity burns and/or loss of rear tire traction (let alone, crashes), this supports a finding that no defect trend currently exists involving alleged coolant leakage from the subject radiator(s).Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The Agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action if warranted in the future.

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 ID

10995609

Incident

May 27, 2017

Mileage

2,642 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508152

Incident

Apr 14, 2013

THE RADIATOR DEVELOPED A LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505587

Incident

Apr 5, 2013

Mileage

8,800 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10476533

Incident

Sep 14, 2012

Mileage

7,400 mi

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. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455821

Incident

Apr 6, 2012

Mileage

2,800 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441141

Incident

Dec 15, 2011

Mileage

13,900 mi

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! *TR

NHTSA ID

10419529

Incident

Aug 3, 2011

Mileage

6,180 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10418638

Incident

Aug 11, 2011

Mileage

4,103 mi

Procedure for Assessing Front Fork Oil Leaks. Applicability: All Models. This service repair bulletin informs dealers and service managers of the assessment criteria for identifying front fork-related defects. The purpose is prevent technicians from mistaking oozing oil or assembly grease, for legitimate defects. The bulletin further provides examples and pictures for clarification.

Guided Diagnosis for Front Brake System Bleeding. Applicability: All Models. This Service Bulletin replaces and cancels the previous bulletin SRV-SRB-20-014 published on 4/17/2020. It provides dealers and service managers with needed information to correctly bleed the front brake system of the various Ducati models. This bulletin further refers the reader to an attached diagnosis guide. The referenced guide/annex is available to NHTSA upon request.

Finial Drive Chain Maintenance Precautions. Applicability: All Models and Model Years (except XDiavel). This Service Bulletin replaces and cancels the previous bulletins: SRV-SRB-18-030 published on 05/11/2018, SRV-SRB-19-046 published on 12/31/2019, SRV-SRB-20-050 published on 11/24/2020. It provides dealers and service managers additional final drive chain care to ensure optimum performance and longevity for the chain. this includes cleaning, lubricating, inspecting and tension guidelines.

Procedure for Analysis and Control of Oil and Coolant Leaks from Engine_Rev.01. Applicability: All Models. This service repair bulletin instructs dealers and service managers on authorized procedures for identifying and isolating coolant and engine oil leaks. The use of a prescribed leak trace powder is stressed. This bulletin includes service instructions.

Precautions to Follow During Crankcase Cleaning. Applicability: All Models. This service bulletin informs dealers and service managers about precautions in using abrasive cleaners for engine component sealant, and in particular the crankcase covers. The bulletin further provides cleaning instructions with approved cleaning tools.

Procedure for Analysis and Control of Oil and Coolant Leaks from Engine. Applicability: All Models. This service bulletin provides dealers and service managers with troubleshooting guidance for oil or coolant leaks. This bulletin includes service instructions.