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.
The worst 2008 Ducati 848 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine9
- Fuel system4
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine9
- Fuel system4
- Steering1
Recalls 1
Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
- What is wrong
- Ducati is recalling 7,130 my 2007-2008 1098, 1098s, 1098 tricolore, 1098r, and my 2008-2009 848 motorcycles. The motorcycle charging system may be adversely affected by engine heat and stop operating. This results in damage to the voltage regulator and ensuing battery discharge.
- Risk
- This can result in damage to the motorcycle and a potential hazard to the rider, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the voltage regulator, install a heat guard between the voltage regulator and the engine exhaust system, and install a modified battery support. The recall will begin on december 24, 2008. Owners may contact ducati at 1‑800‑231‑6696.
Recall number 08V638000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2008 Ducati 848
Defect investigations
Motorcycle coolant leak...radiator
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 the federal safety agency 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.
PE10044
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Ducati 848 24
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Procedure for Assessing Front Fork Oil Leaks
- Guided Diagnosis for Front Brake System Bleeding
- Finial Drive Chain Maintenance Precautions
- Procedure for Analysis and Control of Oil and Coolant Leaks from Engine_Rev.01. Applicability: All Models
- Precautions to Follow During Crankcase Cleaning
- Procedure for Analysis and Control of Oil and Coolant Leaks from Engine
- Overview of Rear Brake System Updates
- CR235 –
- Overview of Rear Brake System Updates
- Service Operation Manual Update 2022
What 2008 Ducati 848 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
The radiator developed a leak.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ducati 848 motorcycle. The contact stated that the radiator was leaking abnormally from the rear. There was no road hazard that caused the radiator to fail. The contact stated that the vehicle would be taken to the dealer within the next two days for inspection and possible repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 3,600.
1. My 2008 ducati 848 motorcycle developed a radiator leak. There are no events leading up to the failure other than normal riding. My motorcycle has less than 5000 miles on the odometer. 2. The failure is a leaking radiator. Consequences are higher risk of crash (due to slick fluid emanating from the machine), and massive engine damage due to overheating. 3. No repair has been made. The vehicle is currently out of service.
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Questions about the 2008 Ducati 848
Is the 2008 Ducati 848 reliable?
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2008 Ducati 848, 6.0 times a typical 848 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Ducati 848?
Engine and cooling, with 9 complaints, typically around 4,380 miles. Next is fuel system (4).
How many recalls does the 2008 Ducati 848 have?
1 recall, covering electrical system.
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