NHTSA Complaint #10424474 — 2007 DUCATI MONSTER S4RS

MY MOTORCYCLE HAS A PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH HAS BEGUN TO EXPAND AND DISTORT. THE OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TANK HAVE INCREASED AND IT NOW DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THE FRAME AND IT PRESSES AGAINST THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS NOW SERIOUSLY DISTORTED. PREVIOUSLY THE TANK WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT PROBLEMS, NOW IT IS WEDGED TIGHTLY AGAINST THE IGNITION. THE RUBBER MOUNTS NO LONGER SIT ON THE FRAME PROPERLY SUCH THAT THE TANK IS NOT SUPPORTED ADEQUATELY AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND TESTED. 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 AT ALL. I TOOK MY BIKE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA (THE IMPORTER/FACTORY) AND THEY REPLACED THE TANK. I WAS NOT GIVEN A REASON FOR THE TANK SWELLING. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE NOW AS THE REPLACED TANK IS ENLARGED AND DISTORTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS ONE AT ONLY 10050 MILES. IF THE TANK SWELLS ENOUGH, IT MAY POSSIBLY SPLIT OPEN AND I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM RIDING OR WHEN PARKED INSIDE A BUILDING SPILLING GAS THAT COULD IGNITE OR THE TANK COULD SIMPLY FALL OFF THE BIKE. I HAVE TAKEN THE BIKE BACK TO THE DUCATI DEALER AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED YET ANOTHER CLAIM TO DUCATI NORTH AMERICA TO REPLACE THE TANK WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED. HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS CAUSES DEATH OR INJURY? WE NEED A RECALL OF THESE TANKS AND SAFE NON SWELLING FUEL TANK REPLACEMENTS. DUCATI IS JUST RUNNING THE CLOCK OUT ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD FUEL TANK ON THIS BIKE IN UNDER 11000 MILES OF USE. *TR