M696 Starter issues...

[Roy]

I purchased my 696 in June and I have been having starting issues ever since I've had it...literally takes turning it over 10 to 12 times for it to stay fired.  I told the dealership about it at the 600 mile service but they didn't know what was wrong.  They told me that that I could pick up my bike and they will call me back when they heard something from DNA.  I didn't hear anything back from the dealership so a month later I took it back to them to get it straightened out once and for all.  Well, they have had my bike for almost 3 weeks now and I have called them twice to check on it and they still don't know what is wrong...they told me that they have informed their Ducati Rep and he is talking with Ducati Italy to try and get a fix for the issue.  I have also logged a complaint with the DNA Customer Service Department on the issue...I called the customer service department back a couple of days later and they said that they also talked to the dealership, and the Ducati Rep, and said that my bike is one of only two in the country with this issue and that it is a top priority for them...the said that they would compensate me after everything gets worked out.

Any suggestions on what else I can do?  Has anyone else on here had their bike in for this long of time as well?  What kind of compensation does DNA usually offer? 

This is just really frustrating as we are at the end of the riding season in the midwest and we have had some really great fall day's that I could have been out riding...

Thanks,

Roy

[Amlethae]

I was having this problem with my 696 I bought in June.  When I handled the coil-fix issue the problem went away and now it starts without a hitch.  In fact I just got my bike back from the 600mi tune-up and now it starts perfectly every time without even using the idle lever. 

Check into the 696 coil issue by searching the forums... I posted a how-to and someone else posted a visual PDF on how to check & fix it.  Worth doing.

[Howie]

All I can think of is get your bike to another dealer.

[Roy]

I had told them about the coil issue at the 600 mile service and they said that they checked it out and my coils were installed correctly...

[Sleeper_I]

I had told them about the coil issue at the 600 mile service and they said that they checked it out and my coils were installed correctly...

Are they referring to how it should be installed according to the diagram in the manual or the opposite of the diagram (the correct way)?

[Roy]

Are they referring to how it should be installed according to the diagram in the manual or the opposite of the diagram (the correct way)?

I had forwarded them the visual pdf on how to fix the coil issue (the opposite of the diagram in the manual)...so I'm assuming they used it to check on the coil issue.  It still makes me wonder if they really checked it out.  I'll bring this up again with the service writer at the dealership as well as the customer service rep at DNA. 

Before my 600 mile service, I was able to check on one of the coil packs myself, and it was installed correctly (opposite of the manual), but I couldn't find the other coil pack even after removing my tank panels...

[CairnsDuc]

Sounds like the Joy I went through to get my Termi kit fixed, Wrong computer, only took about 6 weeks to get sorted out. 

[Howie]

If your dealer doesn't know about the coil problem or how to check and correct, your bike is in the wrong shop.
AFIAK, the dealers are discovering the problem by serial VIN.  More than likely, the mistake is in the harness and it is simply easier to make the correction at the coil.  Anyway, there are two easy ways to check.  One takes no tools.  Switch the wires and see how the bike runs.  If the bike runs worse, they were correct, better, BINGO!.  The other requires an analogue volt meter.  Hook the negative lead to negative on the coil, positive to ground.  Crank the engine.  Crank the engine over, but do not start.  The meter should swing to positive.  If it swings to negative, the coil wires are reversed.  This should also work with a digital meter that records min/max, I'm not sure.

Reversed coil primary wires reduce available spark voltage by, oh, around 15-25%.

[Roy]

Well, I just got off of the phone with DNA and my dealer and they said that they are going to replace the throttle bodies...they have to order them from Italy so it looks like it is going to be awhile longer. 

Sorry if this sounds dumb to some of you, but what exactly are the throttle bodies and what do they do...I'm assuming they have something to do with the injection of fuel into the cylinder?

[Roy]

Well, I just got off of the phone with DNA and my dealer and they said that they are going to replace the throttle bodies...they have to order them from Italy so it looks like it is going to be awhile longer. 

Sorry if this sounds dumb to some of you, but what exactly are the throttle bodies and what do they do...I'm assuming they have something to do with the injection of fuel into the cylinder?

I just did my own investigating and it looks like the throttle bodies control the amount of air flow into the engine?  What I do know is that I think this is going to take a while to get fixed...