2002 Aprilia RST 1000 Futura Recalls & Complaints

Incident: April 1, 2008 · Filed: April 28, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 APRILIA RST 1000 FUTURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL 05V506000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) IN FEBRUARY 2009 BECAUSE OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS. APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY AND THEY COULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

Incident: April 16, 2006 · Filed: April 30, 2006

UPON STARTING MY 2002 APRILIA FUTURA MOTORCYCLE ON APRIL 16 2006, WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM UNDER THE GAS TANK. I HAD THE BIKE TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH IS NOW TELLING ME THERE IS A SLOW LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP, WHICH NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $300 IN PARTS AND SEVERAL HOURS OF SHOP LABOR (ROUGHLY $600 TOTAL). PREVIOUSLY, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004, THIS SAME MOTORCYCE DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK WHICH LEFT A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE ON MY ENCLOSED GARAGE FLOOR IN A 30-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING. THE RESULTS OF THIS LEAK COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. THE DIAGNOSIS FOR THIS LEAK WAS A FAILURE OF THE FUEL TANK QUICK DISCONNECT, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT AN OUT-OF-POCKET COST OF $124.84. THERE IS NOW A RECALL OF THIS FUEL CONNECTOR LISTED ON THE NHTSA SITE, BUT WHEN I ASKED THE APRILIA DEALERSHIP (SCUDERIA IN SAN FRANCISCO) ABOUT IT, THEY SAID IT WAS JUST A "GOVERNMENT RECALL" AND NOT A "MANUFACTURER RECALL" AND THAT THEY WEREN'T DOING ANY REPLACEMENTS UNTIL THE FACTORY DIRECTED THEM TO DO SO. WITH THIS SECOND FUEL LEAK PROBLEM (NOW THE FUEL LINE AND PUMP) IN MY BRIEF OWNERSHIP OF A VERY EXPENSIVE NEW MOTORCYCLE, I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS MOTORCYCLE, BOTH IN TERMS OF RIDING IT AND IN STORING IT IN THE GROUND-FLOOR GARAGE BELOW ME AND THE 29 OTHER UNITS IN MY APARTMENT BUILDING. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME RESOLVE THESE VERY DANGEROUS FUEL SYSTEM LEAKS WITH THE MANUFACTURER? *NM

Incident: July 5, 2005 · Filed: July 6, 2005

THIS IS A PICTURE OF A FAILED FUEL FITTING ON MY APRILIA FUTURA. THIS FAILED IN NORMAL USE. I DO NOT RACE, HAVEN'T MODIFIED MY MOTORCYCLE IN ANY WAY, AND TREAT IT LIKE THE FINE MACHINE IT IS. I NOTICED A GAS SMELL ON MY WAY TO WORK ONE DAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE OLD CAR NEXT TO ME AT THE STOP SIGN. WHEN I GOT HOME LATER THAT DAY I REALIZED IT WAS MY BIKE. WHEN I PULLED THE TANK UP I SAW A VERY BAD LEAK COMING FROM THE PICTURED PLASTIC FITTING. I SINCE HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FITTING ON MY FORUM PAGE. THEY REFERED ME TO YOUR SITE.

Incident: August 23, 2003 · Filed: June 28, 2005

SUBJECT: 2002 APRILIA RST FUTURA: ACCESSING THE ENGINE FOR MAINTENANCE REQUIRES THE FUEL TANK TO BE LIFTED. DURING LIFTING OF THIS FUEL TANK IT IS SOMETIMES NECSEARRY TO DISCONNECT THE THE FUEL LINE. THIS CAN BE DONE WITH A QUICK DISCONNECT PROVIDED ON A STOCK MOTORCYCLE. HOWEVER THIS FITTING IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND IS NOT DURABLE, PARTICULARY WHEN SUBJECTED TO ENGINE HEAT. THIS FITTING SITS ALMOST ATOP OF THE CYLINDER. WHEN DISCONNECTING THIS FIITNG IT BREAKS CAUSING THE FUEL TO SPILL. THIS CAN OR WILL RESULT IN FIRES PARTICULARLY WHEN THIS HAPPENES DURING THE OPERATION OF THE MOTORCYCLE. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS MATERIAL THAT CANNOT WITHSTAND THE HEAT, AND DESIGN OF LOCKING MECHANISM THAT PREVENT REPEATED USE. I HAD TO USE, A BRASS FITTING AS I WAS STRANDED ON THE ROAD. THOUGH, WHEN DISCONNECTED, THIS BRASS FITTING WILL NOT ALLOW THE FUEL TO STOP FROM FLOWING, BUT I COULD NOT FIND A SUBSTITIUTE, AS THE ORIGINAL IS ALWAYS ON BACK ORDER.

Incident: June 19, 2005 · Filed: June 21, 2005

THE VEHICLE IS AN APRILIA FUTURA. I NOTICED SOMETHING DRIPPING FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AND AFTER INVESTIGATING FOUND IT TO BE THE QUICK DISCONNECT ON THE LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE THROTTLE BODIES. I HAVE NOT MOVED THE TANK IN 3 MONTHS SO I DON'T SEE HOW IT COULD BE BROKEN FROM THAT. I HAVE ORDERED A METAL REPLACEMENT AS THE ORIGINAL WAS THIN PLASTIC.

Incident: April 24, 2005 · Filed: April 25, 2005

THE FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT ON MY 2002 APRILIA FUTURA MOTORCYCLE CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY, SPILLING GASOLINE AFTER BEING PARKED IN A GARAGE. THANKFULLY THE WATER HEATER WAS FAR AWAY SO THERE WAS NO FIRE, AND THANKFULLY I WAS NOT STRANDED. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN A METAL CONNECTOR (THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR WAS MADE BY THE COLDER CORPORATION AND I CONTACTED THEM AT WWW.COLDER.COM BUT HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A REPLY). MY APRILIA DEALER IN LOMITA CALIFORNIA HAS NOT BEEN OF ANY HELP. MY IMMEDIATE SOLUTION WAS TO PURCHASE A KAWASAKI AND I WILL ATTEMPT TO FIX THE NON-OPERABLE APRILIA PRIOR TO SELLING IT.*AK

Incident: July 7, 2004 · Filed: April 25, 2005

WAS PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MY MOTORCYCLE, WICH REQUIRES LIFTING THE FUEL TANK UP, PER OWNERS MANUAL, IN ORDER TO REMOVE AIR FILTER. AFTER FINISHING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY ON, AND AS THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURIZED THE FUEL SYSTEM, I HAD A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL POURING OUT OVER THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. I QUICKLY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, AND ROLLED THE MOTORCYCLE OUT OF THE GARAGE AWAY FROM MY HOME WATER HEATER. I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR FOR THE FUEL DELIVERY HOSE HAD FAILED CAUSING THE MAJOR FUEL LEAK. I CONSTRUCTED MY OWN CONNECTOR OUT OF BRASS PLUMBING FITTINGS AS A QUICK FIX, AND PLAN TO PURCHASE A BRASS REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL FUEL FITTING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OLD PART IS STILL AVAILABLE.*AK

Incident: January 15, 2004 · Filed: March 20, 2005

STRONG SMELL OF FUEL PROMPTED INVESTIGATION. FOUND TWO PLASTIC FUEL LINE QUICK DISCONNECT FITTINGS CRACKED AND LEAKING. FITTINGS REPLACED WITH METAL VERSION AVAILABLE FROM OE VENDOR, BECAUSE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER CONTINUES TO SUPPLY PLASTIC PARTS AS SERVICE REPLACEMENTS. THE LEAKAGE WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. PROMPT ATTENTION TO SYMPTOMS LIKELY AVOIDED A FIRE. NOTE: THE MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE IS NOT OFFERED AS A SELECTION CHOICE ON THIS COMPLAINT FORM. IT IS A 2002 APRILIA ETV1000 CAPONORD MOTORCYCLE. THE ONLY CHOICE OFFERED HERE IS RST FUTURA.*AK

Incident: July 25, 2004 · Filed: March 19, 2005

QUICK DISCONNECT FITTING ON MAIN FUEL LINE FROM FUEL TANK TO THROTTLE BODY FAILED. FAILURE CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE WHICH WAS FORTUNATELY NOT HOT AT THE TIME. PERFORMED TEMPORARY REPAIR USING STANDARD BRASS FITTING IN ORDER TO MAKE THE 300 MILE TRIP HOME. *AK

Incident: December 5, 2003 · Filed: March 16, 2005

1. PERFORMING MANY NORMAL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ON THIS MOTORCYCLE REQUIRES PIVOTING THE GAS TANK UPWARDS. A PLASTIC FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT APPEARS TO BE STRESSED DURING THIS PROCEDURE WHEN THE FUEL LINE IS PULLED TAUGHT.*AK 2. THE PLASTIC FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT CRACKED AND GAS LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE AND THE GAS TANK EMPTIED ITSELF SINCE I HAD NO WAY TO SHUT OFF THE FLOW OF FUEL FROM THE TANK ONCE THE FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT CRACKED. 3. THE PLASTIC FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT WAS REPLACED WITH AN IDENTICLE ONE BY AN APRILIA DEALERSHIP ON 5 DECEMBER 2003. THE SECOND TIME THE FUEL QUICK DISCONNECT CRACKED, ON 24 JANUARY 2005, I REPLACED THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR WITH A METAL, AFTERMARKET ONE.