← New search

2008 Ducati 848

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all 848 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 12 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

12 reports
2,642 miles · Jun 16, 2017
Fuel/propulsion System

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 PAS…

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #10995609

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System

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 Y…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10508152

8,800 miles · Apr 8, 2013
Engine

THE RADIATOR DEVELOPED A LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505587

7,400 miles · Sep 20, 2012
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemSteering

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, F…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10476533

2,800 miles · Apr 19, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

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 DE…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10455821

13,900 miles · Dec 24, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline

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 ETHAN…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10441141

6,180 miles · Aug 15, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingCrash

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 …

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10419529

4,103 miles · Aug 12, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

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 F…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10418638

3,600 miles · May 19, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

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 W…

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #10402068

4,700 miles · Aug 18, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

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…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10350464

Official recalls

1

08V638000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator

Dec 3, 2008

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE10044 · Motorcycle Coolant Leak...radiator

Opened Nov 4, 2010 · Closed Feb 7, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:radiator Assembly

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 NHTSA 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.