How good is your warranty? Ducati NA warranty COMES THROUGH!! (changed)

[atadaskew]

So I have a 2006 800ss that has maybe 3000 miles on it.  Perfect shape, looks like new.  Always taken care of, parked in a closed garage in SoCal with a full tank of gas.
Bike starts to run badly, like a fuel starvation problem.  Lo and behold the gas tank is merrily rusting away from the inside clogging the fuel filter, resulting in the fuel starvation problem.
Take the bike to the shop, Ducati will cover the gas tank under warranty, right?  Wrong.  Ducati has refused my warranty coverage claiming the damage is due to "environmental conditions".  The gas tank is covered under the emissions warranty (that every bike in the USA has) which is in addition to the standard bike warranty.  This warranty is for 5 years from the purchase of the bike or 18,641 miles, whichever comes first.  It's all in the owner's manual.  Within that it also states limitations to this warranty.  "Environmental conditions" are not mentioned.
This is so bogus and I am furious.  I have older bikes (and an older Ducati) sitting in the garage right next to the 800ss, they are all treated the same and have no rust in the tank issues.
I feel that basically Ducati NA is treating the warranty that it provides in a cavalier manner, not in the intention of the contract.
Buyer beware.  Your Ducati warranty may be worthless.

[Mookie]

Uh, did you try a different dealer?  If it's in writing, it's in writing.

[Mr. Whippy]

+1.  Also, DNA is in your neck of the woods, call them.  They have always been VERY responsive whenever I've called--I suspect it's the dealer, not DNA.

[Playinthestreet]

I've had friends for whom DNA has stepped to the plate with a little prodding by a willing dealer.  Worth the extra effort.

[atypical1]

Something sounds fishy to me. Take it to a different dealer. I know that my local dealer stuck up for me on numerous occasions and got them to warranty items. I think it's your dealer that is sucking.

james

[atadaskew]

No, this is direct from Ducati NA customer service, it is not the dealer.  They first claimed that the rust was due to "environmental damage" so I asked (I was on the phone with them) where in the emissions warranty does that state that that is their escape clause.  They could not give me a response as it is not part of the warranty limitation.  So it was basically a denial just to deny coverage.  They then came back and said that it's not a warranty issue as it does not affect emissions (screw that it blocks the fuel filter and prevents the bike from running) as there is no fuel leak.  I mentioned that there pretty soon will be a fuel leak once the rust perforates the tank.  Then there also will be a fire hazard.
Next day I got a form letter from Ducati NA in Cupertino stating that my warranty claim is denied and in their mind the case is closed.

[atypical1]

You should be. That is a load of crap. I was really lucky in my dealing with DNA and their warranty support. Much luckier than I was with the bike.

I don't know what your recourse is but tanks shouldn't run you that much on E-bay.

james

[1moreroad]

I know they (he) is not official, but can Motoservizio help you out?  Maybe he knows somebody inside DNA.

Good luck.  Sorry to hear.  As a consolation, at least you have bikes to ride.

[atadaskew]

I go to Scott at Motoservizio for all my servicing needs.  He is fantastic.  I didn't use him for this as it was a warranty issue....

[VIVID1]

Wow, that sucks. I feel for you, it’s hard to like the bike when you start hating the company. I was also dealing here with 'the best dealer and the best mechanic’ and to this day no one can believe why I had so many problems with them when everyone else loves them. I also brought my ST3 three times for one problem and told them what to check and they did everything else before they did what I was telling them to do. I did end up having some warranty work done to my bike but I never dealt with  DNA, so I can’t comment on them.  

As for the super sport tank. They are very expensive.

When the same shitty dealer scratched up my 900SS tank while doing a valve service, I looked for a used one but found none. They wouldn’t replace the scratched one with a new ones and ended up painting it.

[county]

That's weird that the tank would rust that bad in a coupla years.  Wonder what caused it?

[atadaskew]

That's weird that the tank would rust that bad in a coupla years.  Wonder what caused it?

Seeing that the tank in my 2003 St4s is fine, I'd say substandard materials/construction.  Ya know, something that would be covered by the warranty.  F-ers.

[Rogue]

Time for a lawyer perhaps?

Sorry about your warranty problems.  I keep my fingers crossed with my Buell as I've heard stories before.

[atypical1]

As for the super sport tank. They are very expensive.

Not really. Look on ebay and ducati.ms and craigslist. You might have to paint it but that is still cheaper than a brand new tank.

james

[atadaskew]

Not really. Look on ebay and ducati.ms and craigslist. You might have to paint it but that is still cheaper than a brand new tank.

james

The tanks that I have seen for sale are in the $450 to $500 range and damaged.  That is on the outside, who knows what the inside looks like no matter what the seller claims.
Worse case scenario I will try to chemically repair my tank as it looks brand spankin' new from the outside.
This reminds me of the red neck comedy tour:
"You think Ducati will honour your warranty?  Here's yer number..."

[Mookie]

That's weird that the tank would rust that bad in a coupla years.  Wonder what caused it?

The environment.  Duh.

[UHOH]

clearly sounds like you've been had ...

Re: How good is your warranty? Ducati NA warranty sucks.

Fortunately ... pleased with the Yamaha Extended Warranty on the FJR,
'course part of that might be the dealer in Prosser, WA.

[atadaskew]

What really sucks about Ducati North America is that they changed their story once I disclaimed their position.  They first stated to me, on the phone, that the warranty claim was being rejected because the damage was due to environmental damage.  When I then showed them that no where in the warranty documentation was "environmental damage" listed as a limitation to the warranty, they then changed their tune and stated that the tank would not be covered because rust was not considered as effecting emissions.  Even though the tank is listed as part of the emissions equipment and that an eventual rust perforation would cause an emissions problem.
Basically they arbitrarily decided to refuse warranty coverage.  A-holes.

[atadaskew]

clearly sounds like you've been had ...



Fortunately ... pleased with the Yamaha Extended Warranty on the FJR,
'course part of that might be the dealer in Prosser, WA.

have you needed warranty work, and if so what?

[M.Brane]

Time for a lawyer perhaps?

 The threat of legal action looks to be a viable option in this case. Who knows maybe if you become a big enough pain in their ass they might change their mind about replacing that tank.

[Kootenanny]

I'm gonna be the black sheep and ask, why is it rusting?

You say you keep it full of gas, as you do your other bikes which have no rust.

But AFAIK gasoline won't oxidize steel, unless there's water in it.  Might you have been getting some wet gas? (I've heard of stations actually watering down their gasoline to increase profit).

Is there a lining inside the Ducati tank?  Is there supposed to be a lining, and your bike doesn't have it?

Sorry to say, but I can sort of understand Ducati's point of view.  Rust inside a tank is generally caused by water, usually condensation forming in a partially empty tank.  A manufacturer has no way to control what customers put in their fuel tanks, or how full they keep them.  You'd have to come up with a fair amount of proof, I'd think, so convince anyone that the rust is NOT "environmental damage."

Anyway, if I was in your shoes, I'd just bite the bullet and get some gas tank sealant.  I've been there before, and there comes a point when it's just not worth it to fight anymore.  The best you can do is tell the dealer, and DNA, that due to your experience none of your future bikes will be one of theirs (for similar reasons, I refuse to buy another Ford pickup--I leased a brand new one in '97, and even though I carefully explained what I would be doing with it--going onto remote industrial sites, coal mines, etc., over rough gravel roads--it came with P-rated tires.  I had five flats in the first ten months.  Ford customer service refused to get me new tires, and indeed told me not to take my 4WD truck off pavement!?!  I ended up buying new 6-ply tires, which I kept when I took back the leased truck.  For the price of a measly set of tires, Ford lost a customer to Dodge...)

[Jeff N]

I think Kootenanny brings up some good points that would be worthwhile to investigate, but as others have suggested, the quality of warranty response and work is down to the dealer involved.

From what I can tell, manufacturers cover warranty work at a flat rate, and some dealers are loathe to accept such work because it cuts into their profits as they are only compensated at what they might feel is a penalty/loss, thus compelling them, the dealer, to not even look into your claim. With such a mindset, the average customer is screwed.

You've got some recommendations, aytip. Look into them.

[BubbaDenkins]

 The threat of legal action looks to be a viable option in this case. Who knows maybe if you become a big enough pain in their ass they might change their mind about replacing that tank.

Another option would be to contact your state attorney general's office and talk to them. They might be able to either help you give DNA the push they need to fix the issue or give you an idea of where you can go to get help.

[atadaskew]

thanks for all the suggestions, I'll be looking into them.
I get my gas from the same gas station for all my bikes.  what is telling about Ducati's refusal to honour the warranty is that they changed their reason after I discounted their first claim for dismissal.

[motoguy128]

Dumb question maybe.... but I'm assuming you didn't store the bike with the tank mostly empty. Seeing how you have several bikes that sit, I figure you're good about keeping them full of fuel with stabilizer of properly draining and oiling the that for long term storage.

Basically a repost.... but I didn't read whether you stored it mostly empty or not.


I'd take the issue up with the EPA or DNR since they are not meeting the requirementst of their emissions warranty.