NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Ducati 848 Recalls & Complaints

The 2008 Ducati 848 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 12 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ducati dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Ducati 848. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2008 Ducati 848 owner complaints

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ducati 848, describing incidents dated July 13, 2009 to May 27, 2017.

Most-cited components

Engine 9 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 4 complaints
Steering 1 complaint

Of the 12 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10995609 · Filed June 16, 2017
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…
ODI #10508152 · Filed April 14, 2013
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…
ODI #10505587 · Filed April 8, 2013
THE RADIATOR DEVELOPED A LEAK. *TR

Read all 12 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Ducati 848 in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Preliminary Evaluation PE10-044: Motorcycle coolant leak...radiator
Closed February 7, 2011

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Steering Damper Bracket may Fail, Locking Steering

NHTSA #14E012000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported April 1, 2014 · Ohlins Racing AB

Potentially affected: 2,827 vehicles

Repair completion: 4% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified November 19, 2013

Defect description

Ohlins Racing AB (Ohlins) is recalling certain steering dampers kits manufactured with an incorrectly machined bracket. These dampers were sold for use as aftermarket equipment on Yamaha R1, R6, and FZ6, Suzuki TL1000 R and GSX1300R, Honda CB600RR, and Ducati Monster 1000, 748, 848, 916, 996, and 998 motorcycles. Also included are universal steering damper kits with part numbers SD 000 through SD 005. The affected brackets may crack.

Safety consequence

If there is a crack in the steering bracket, at low speeds it may cause the steering to lock, leading to personal injury or a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Ohlins will notify the distributors and provide their customers with a new bracket. The recall began in November 2013. Owners may contact Ohlins USA at 1-828-692-4525. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13E-034.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR

NHTSA #08V638000 · Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator · NHTSA notice

Reported December 3, 2008 · DUCATI NORTH AMERICA

Potentially affected: 7,130 vehicles

Ducati campaign RCL-08-005 · Owners notified December 24, 2008 · Vehicles built October 8, 2007 – June 12, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

THIS CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE MOTORCYCLE AND A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE RIDER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

DUCATI RECALL NO. RCL-08-005.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2008 Ducati 848. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

12 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Ducati 848.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10995609

Incident: May 27, 2017 · Filed: June 16, 2017

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.

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10508152

Incident: April 14, 2013 · Filed: April 14, 2013

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. *TR

Engine

ODI #10505587

Incident: April 5, 2013 · Filed: April 8, 2013

THE RADIATOR DEVELOPED A LEAK. *TR

Steering; Engine; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10476533

Incident: September 14, 2012 · Filed: September 20, 2012

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. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10455821

Incident: April 6, 2012 · Filed: April 19, 2012

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. *JS

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10441141

Incident: December 15, 2011 · Filed: December 24, 2011

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. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10419529

Crash

Incident: August 3, 2011 · Filed: August 15, 2011

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! *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10418638

Incident: August 11, 2011 · Filed: August 12, 2011

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. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10402068

Incident: May 17, 2011 · Filed: May 19, 2011

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.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10350464

Incident: August 18, 2010 · Filed: August 18, 2010

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. *TR

Other Ducati 848 model years

Check your 2008 Ducati 848 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ducati 848 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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