NHTSA Complaint #10025514 — 2001 DUCATI DUCATI

BATTERY ACID LEAKED ON TO MOTORCYCLE ENGINE; DAMAGING IGNITION WIRING, DAMAGING PAINTED SURFACES, AND EXPERIENCING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATION. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 DUCATI MS4. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF A ONLINE OWNERS GROUP AND HAVE READ OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FAILURE THAT IS COMMON TO THE DUCATI MONSTER MODEL. MY MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN IN WARRANTY REPAIR SINCE APRIL 8, 2003 WAITING ON PARTS. THE BATTERY IS ORIENTATED ON ITS SIDE AND IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE VERTICAL CYLINDER VALVE HEAD WHERE IT IS EXPOSED TO HEAT WITH VERY LITTLE COOLING. THIS IS THE SECOND BATTERY I'VE HAD REPLACED. PRIOR BATTERY REPLACEMENT WAS 5/15/2002. ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT I HAD A LEAKY GAS TANK REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BETWEEN 3/27/2002 AND 5/18/2002. THE TANK LEAKED FROM A POOR WELD WHERE THE TANK HINGE PLATE IS ATTACHED TO THE GAS TANK UNDERSIDE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE POSITIONED DIRECTLY ABOVE REAR EXHAUST HEADER PIPE. THIS ALSO IS A FREQUENT REPLACEMENT ITEM FOR DUCATI MONSTERS AND 900SUPERSPORTS PRODUCED AFTER 1998 WITH LEAKS SPECIFICALLY FROM THAT PARTICULAR AREA. I'VE TRIED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AND IMPORTER ON MANY OCCASIONS TO ADDRESS THESE ITEMS WITH NO SUBSTANTIVE REPLY. LEAKING BATTERY ACID IS AN OBVIOUS CORROSIVE HAZARD TO THE RIDER AND MACHINE. LEAKING GAS TANKS THAT EXPOSE FUEL TO EXTREMELY HOT SURFACES ARE ALSO A HAZARD TO A RIDER. ANY LIQUID DISCHARGE FROM A MOTOR VEHICLE CAN BE A HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORIST. I'M CONCERNED THAT THESE FREQUENT FAILURES COULD POSE A HARMFUL SITUATION TO A RIDER OTHER THAN AN OBVIOUS INCONVENIENCE.*AK