The Ducati Scrambler spans 2018–2026 with 5 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 2019, 2018, 2022 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 2023, 2024, 2025. It delivers competitive fuel economy and NHTSA-rated safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Ducati Scrambler is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 2018 to 2026 across multiple generations.
Decode or check a Ducati Scrambler by VIN
Enter a 17-digit VIN to decode this Ducati Scrambler — trim, engine, plant and full specs — and instantly pull its open recalls, safety ratings and original window sticker.
How to read a Ducati Scrambler VIN — every digit explained
Every Ducati Scrambler carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. 4T1 = Toyota, built in the USA.
- VDS (4–8) — model line, body style, engine & restraint system.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built. H = 2017.
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this Scrambler.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
Model-year code (10th digit)
The 10th character is the model year. It cycles through letters and numbers, skipping I, O, Q, U, Z and 0 to avoid confusion:
Where to find your Scrambler VIN
- Dashboard — driver's side, visible through the windshield from outside.
- Driver's door jamb — on the manufacturer sticker when you open the door.
- Paperwork — vehicle registration, title and insurance card.
- Engine bay & frame — stamped on the firewall or chassis on many models.
How many recalls does the Ducati Scrambler have?
The Ducati Scrambler has 5 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2018–2026. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
2021 Ducati Scrambler recalls 2
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:cables
What's wrong. Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Scrambler 1100 motorcycles. The exhaust valve cable could contact the main positive battery wire and potentially short-circuit.
Risk. An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of fire.
Fix. Ducati will notify owners, and dealers will install a new cable guide and self-locking cable tie to the exhaust valve cable, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati's number for this recall is SRV-RCL-20-003.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
What's wrong. Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2021 Scrambler 800 Night Shift motorcycles. The front and rear turn signal lights may not flash brightly enough. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk. Turn signal lights that aren't bright enough can reduce other driver's ability to see that the turn signals have been activated, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. Dealers will replace the front and rear turn signals, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2021. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati's number for this recall is SRV-RCL-21-009.
2020 Ducati Scrambler recalls 1
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:cables
What's wrong. Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Scrambler 1100 motorcycles. The exhaust valve cable could contact the main positive battery wire and potentially short-circuit.
Risk. An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of fire.
Fix. Ducati will notify owners, and dealers will install a new cable guide and self-locking cable tie to the exhaust valve cable, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati's number for this recall is SRV-RCL-20-003.
2019 Ducati Scrambler recalls 1
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:cables
What's wrong. Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Scrambler 1100 motorcycles. The exhaust valve cable could contact the main positive battery wire and potentially short-circuit.
Risk. An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of fire.
Fix. Ducati will notify owners, and dealers will install a new cable guide and self-locking cable tie to the exhaust valve cable, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati's number for this recall is SRV-RCL-20-003.
2018 Ducati Scrambler recalls 1
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:cables
What's wrong. Ducati North America (Ducati) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Scrambler 1100 motorcycles. The exhaust valve cable could contact the main positive battery wire and potentially short-circuit.
Risk. An electrical short-circuit increases the risk of fire.
Fix. Ducati will notify owners, and dealers will install a new cable guide and self-locking cable tie to the exhaust valve cable, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati's number for this recall is SRV-RCL-20-003.
Best and worst years for the Ducati Scrambler
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 9 tracked years, the worst years are 2019, 2018, 2022 and the best (fewest complaints) are 2023, 2024, 2025.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Scrambler | 2 | Service Brakes | Avoid |
| 2019 Scrambler | 3 | Service Brakes | Avoid |
| 2020 Scrambler | 1 | Service Brakes | Average |
| 2021 Scrambler | 1 | Service Brakes | Average |
| 2022 Scrambler | 1 | Service Brakes | Avoid |
| 2023 Scrambler | 0 | — | Best |
| 2024 Scrambler | 0 | — | Best |
| 2025 Scrambler | 0 | — | Best |
| 2026 Scrambler | 0 | — | Average |
What are the most common Ducati Scrambler problems?
The most-reported Ducati Scrambler problems are Service Brakes (8 reports) — out of 8 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Service Brakes 8 Read
The front brake line can be worn away by a cable routing clip. The outer protection sheath is currently damaged. I have sense bent the clip out of way to prevent future wear, but the damage is still available for inspection. If the wearing action continues, the front brake line will be exposed and cause immediate loss of front brakes. So far, one other owner has confirmed the same issue in the Ducati Desert Sled owner's Facebook group. I have not brought this problem to a dealer or independent service center., nor have I had this problem inspected my the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others as of yet. There was no prior indication of this problem. I was lucky to have found the brake line wear during a personal inspection.
Brake switch for rear wheel that turns rear brake light on breaks easily causing brake light failure when rear brake is engaged.
Rear brake indicator component is poorly designed and breaks off. I was riding when a friend informed me that he hardly ever saw me use my brakes. Upon inspection a component had failed. Bike was take to dealership for repair, bike was under warranty. Deal insist issue is due to misuse. "Repaired" at customer expense. Upon receipt of vehicle attempt to asses that the repair holds. Upon depressing the rear pedal, the component pops off. Dealer insists their is nothing to repair. Rear brake indicator does not function, unable to register bike. No repair available.
When applying the rear brake the pedal travels downwards with no resistance or braking action. The motorcycle is factory stock (has not been modified in any way).
Rear brake completely inoperable. No changes to bike or system. One day works, next day it doesn't. Pedal goes all the way to the stop with no braking power.
Rear brake quite working entirely at only 500 miles. Pedal goes all the way down and nothing happens while riding at any speed going straight or turning.
The rear brake failed after 1800 miles on the motorcycle. The brake fluid was replaced at 800 miles and after less than a year and 1000 miles it does not work. Pressing on the pedal does not engage the caliper. There are no visible leaks and the master cylinder is full of brake fluid. Ducati does have a recall campaign for multiple models for brake failure. The scrambler is not listed as one of them, but various Ducati forums have owners of Scrambler models reporting they have had rear brake failure or inadequate performance. I believe that this issue needs to be investigated and addressed by the manufacturer. This can be a potentially life threatening defect in the event of failure.
One day i took the bike for a ride and there was no pressure on the rear brake and almost no braking
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Ducati Scrambler specifications & dimensions
The 2026 Ducati Scrambler. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN.
| Specs cache warming… |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Ducati Scrambler cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the Scrambler holds — passengers and cargo. Seating, cargo and interior dimensions vary by trim and seat configuration — decode your VIN for the exact build.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Ducati Scrambler tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Ducati Scrambler get?
MPG cache warming… reload in a moment.
What engines does the Ducati Scrambler have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
How much does a Ducati Scrambler cost to own?
A Ducati Scrambler depreciates at about an average rate. A typical example keeps roughly 46% of its value after five years — losing about 54% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 80% | — | — |
| Year 2 | 70% | — | — |
| Year 3 | 61% | — | — |
| Year 4 | 53% | — | — |
| Year 5 | 46% | — | — |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this Scrambler loses about 54% of its value over five years.
- Fuel — based on EPA economy at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the Scrambler ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
Is the Ducati Scrambler safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the Scrambler yet.
How many miles does a Ducati Scrambler last?
A well-maintained Ducati Scrambler typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.
Decode your Ducati Scrambler’s window sticker & build
Original options, specs, recalls and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Decode VIN →All Ducati Scrambler model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Ducati Scrambler — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Scrambler | 0 | — | — |
| 2025 Scrambler | 0 | — | — |
| 2024 Scrambler | 0 | — | — |
| 2023 Scrambler | 0 | — | — |
| 2022 Scrambler | 0 | — | — |
| 2021 Scrambler | 2 recalls | — | — |
| 2020 Scrambler | 1 recall | — | — |
| 2019 Scrambler | 1 recall | — | — |
| 2018 Scrambler | 1 recall | — | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Scrambler?
By owner-complaint volume, 2019, 2018, 2022 drew the most reports. 2023, 2024, 2025 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the Scrambler have?
5 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2018–2026. Always check open recalls by your VIN.
How many miles does a Scrambler last?
A well-maintained Scrambler typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the Scrambler reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the Scrambler is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Ducati Scrambler warranty?
New Ducati models carry a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Ducati dealer.
Where is the Ducati Scrambler made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your Scrambler's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Ducati may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much ground clearance does the Scrambler have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.