Investigations
Fuel leak at pump/tank interface
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE10045 - closed, opened 2010-11-04.
NHTSA investigation PE10045 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2010-11-04 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2011-02-28 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE10045 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "After opening this PE, we met with subject owners, dealers, and Ducati North America personnel. We learned that the subject leakage is limited to the Multistrada line alone and is unrelated to composite fuel tank deforma..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
After opening this PE, we met with subject owners, dealers, and Ducati North America personnel. We learned that the subject leakage is limited to the Multistrada line alone and is unrelated to composite fuel tank deformation. Rather it stems from the inability of the original sealing O-ring to conform to the tank's relatively rough sealing surface. Recall 11V-020 provides a new "X" section O-ring to address the Multistrada issue and with that recall, this PE is closed for the Multistrada. Meanwhile, unlike the Multistrada, the Monster line fails to exhibit a current safety defect trend and, on that basis, this PE is closed for those models as well.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.