NHTSA Complaint #10381718 — 2005 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1000 S 2005

MY MOTORCYCLE CAME WITH A POLYAMIDE PA6 GAS TANK WHICH EXPANDED. THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK INCREASED UNTIL IT DID NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME, THE HANDLEBAR SWITCH HIT THE TANK WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE FRONT SUSPENSION FORK TUBE HIT THE TANK WHEN STEERED TO THE LEFT, AND THE TANK BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT AND REAR BODYWORK PANELS, WHICH ATTACH TO THE TANK, BEGAN TO BECOME DAMAGED AT THEIR ATTACHMENT POINTS DUE TO THE PRESSURE ON THEM FROM THE EXPANDING TANK. I HAVE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE EXCEPT FOR AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST AND SOME COSMETIC CHANGES. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL PUMP. I TOOK THE BIKE TO THE DEALER, WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY). THE ORIGINAL TANK WAS REPLACED IN 4/2010 UNDER A "GOODWILL PROGRAM". THE DEALER DID NOT MENTION WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT TANK WAS DESIGNED TO CORRECT THE EXPANSION PROBLEM. THE REPLACEMENT TANK BEGAN TO SHOW THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF EXPANSION WITHIN 6 MONTHS; BY 10/2010, THE BODY PARTS WERE AGAIN MISALIGNED AND DANGEROUSLY STRESSED AT THEIR ATTACHMENT POINTS. I AM CONCERNED THAT INTERFERENCE WITH THE STEERING WILL OCCUR AGAIN, AS WITH THE ORIGINAL TANK, OR THAT THE SEAL OF THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS SEATED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK, WILL FAIL, DUE TO THE DISTORTION OF THE TANK. ON 2/4/2011, DUCATI NORTH AMERICA RELEASED A RECALL NOTICE THAT REFERENCES NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 11V020. THE RECALL LETTER DESCRIBES A PROBLEM WITH FUEL SEEPAGE CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE SEAL BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE AND THE FUEL TANK. THE CORRECTION OFFERED IS A REPLACEMENT FLANGE TO TANK SEAL WITH AN "X" CROSS-SECTION. I CONTEND THAT THIS TYPE OF GASKET IS A NON-STANDARD FUEL PUMP GASKET, AND IS A DANGEROUS BAND-AID SOLUTION THAT IGNORES THE CAUSE, WHICH IS FUEL TANK EXPANSION. *TR