NHTSA Complaint #11235121 — 2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200S

FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS MY 2016 MULTISTRADA FUEL GAUGE SHOWS THE FUEL TANK AS EMPTY REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL. OCCASIONALLY IT WILL SHOW A QUANTITY, BUT THE QUANTITY IS NOT CORRECT (SHOWS FULL WITH A HALF TANK OF FUEL, OR SHOWS 2/3 EMPTY IMMEDIATE AFTER FILLING UP). AFTER A FEW MINUTES, IT WILL REVERT BACK TO SHOWING EMPTY. THE BEHAVIOR IS CONSTANT, AND NOT AFFECTED BY FUEL LEVEL, TEMPERATURE, OR OTHER FACTORS. WITHOUT THE GAUGE, THERE IS NO INDICATION WHEN FUEL LEVEL IS LOW. THE LOW-FUEL WARINING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. DUCATI MULTISTRADAS FROM MY2015 ON (AS WELL AS THE DUCATI DIAVEL AND XDIAVEL) HAVE A WELL KNOWN, REPETITIVE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDER CAUSING AN EMPTY INDICATION. THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH THOUSANDS OF MULTISTRADAS AND DIAVELS, AND IT A TOPIC OF MUCH CONSTERNATION IN THE DUCATI COMMUNITY. DUCATI IS ON AT LEAST THE FIFTH REVISION OF THE SENDER, BUT IS REFUSING TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE UNITS ON MOTORCYCLES OUT OF WARRANTY. MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SENDER REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, FOLLOWED BY FAILURE AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRATION, WITH DUCATI REFUSING TO REPAIR THEM FURTHER. DUE TO THE CRITICALITY OF FUEL GAUGE FUNCTION, THIS SHOULD BE ELEVATED TO A RECALL TO FORCE DUCATI TO DESIGN A PERMANENT FIX, AND THEN REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE UNITS. THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO SELL NEW MOTORCYCLES WITH A KNOWN DEFECTIVE SENDER, AND SIMPLY REFUSE TO ADDRESS IT AFTER THE WARRANTY ENDS.