Ducati V4 Rear-Brake Recall Needs a New Repair, Even After the Old One

Rear brakes are easy to take for granted until one stops working, and Ducati’s recall for the V4 family is about exactly that. NHTSA recall 26V050, received on January 28, 2026, says excessive heat may damage the rear brake hose between the ABS control unit and the brake caliper, resulting in a sudden loss of the rear brakes. It covers 1,440 potentially affected motorcycles.

If your Panigale V4 or Streetfighter V4 already had brake-related recall work, read on. The campaign expands and replaces an earlier recall, 25V013, and NHTSA says vehicles repaired under that earlier campaign still need the new remedy.

The short version

• Who: certain 2025–2026 Streetfighter V4, Streetfighter V4 S, Panigale V4 and Panigale V4 S motorcycles. Not every V4.
• How many: 1,440 potentially affected, per NHTSA.
• The problem: excessive heat may damage the rear brake hose between the ABS control unit and the caliper.
• The risk: a sudden loss of rear brake function increases the risk of a crash or injury.
• The fix: dealers replace the thermal shield, free of charge.
• Already repaired under 25V013? You still need the new remedy.
• Contact: Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Ducati’s number for this recall is SRV-RCL-26-001.

Which bikes are covered

NHTSA lists eight model and model-year combinations:

Model	Model years
Panigale V4	2025, 2026
Panigale V4 S	2025, 2026
Streetfighter V4	2025, 2026
Streetfighter V4 S	2025, 2026

NHTSA’s database repeats the 1,440 figure on every row, so it is the campaign total, not a per-model count. You can’t add the rows. The word “certain” matters too: a 2025 or 2026 V4 isn’t necessarily in the recall. Your VIN is the answer.

What’s being replaced, and what isn’t

The remedy in NHTSA’s record is to replace the thermal shield. A thermal shield is a heat barrier, and the recall’s heat-damage description points to it protecting the hose. The record doesn’t say the brake hose itself is being replaced, and it doesn’t describe an inspection step. So the facts we can state are narrow:

• The risk is heat damage to the rear brake hose between the ABS unit and the caliper.
• The fix is a replacement thermal shield, free of charge.
• Nothing in the record says dealers replace the hose, the ABS unit or the caliper as part of this campaign.

If your dealer proposes extra work, ask whether it’s part of the recall or a separate service item, and who pays.

What “expands and replaces” 25V013 means

NHTSA says this recall expands and replaces 25V013, and that vehicles repaired under the previous recall need the new remedy completed. Put plainly: a receipt from the earlier campaign doesn’t close the file on your bike.

The record doesn’t explain why the earlier remedy was replaced, how many bikes were repaired under it, or what the earlier repair involved. Those are fair questions for your dealer, and they’re not answered in this API summary.

How to check your Panigale or Streetfighter

1. Find your VIN. It’s printed on your registration and insurance card, and stamped on the bike itself.
2. Run it on NHTSA.gov. Ducati’s VINs became searchable there on February 3, 2026.
3. Look for both numbers: 26V050 and, if you had earlier work, 25V013.
4. Call a Ducati dealer or Ducati customer service at 1-888-391-5446. Quote SRV-RCL-26-001.
5. Ask whether the new thermal shield is in stock and how long the dealer expects to have the bike.
6. Keep the repair order. It’s your evidence the new remedy was done, not just the old one.

NHTSA says owner notification letters were mailed March 9, 2026. If you bought the bike used or moved, the letter may never have reached you. Don’t wait for it.

Should you keep riding?

NHTSA’s “park it” and “park outside” flags for this campaign are both false, and nothing in the record tells owners to stop riding. But the stated consequence is a sudden loss of the rear brake, on bikes with enough power to make that matter. That’s a good reason to book the repair promptly.

The record doesn’t say how often the failure has occurred, whether crashes or injuries were reported, or what the first warning sign would be. Don’t try to diagnose it yourself, but if your rear brake feels spongy, weak or inconsistent, get it looked at before the next ride.

Buying or selling a V4

A recall follows the VIN, not the owner. For used V4s from 2025 and 2026, which are recent enough to still be in dealer inventory or on their first resale, a few tips:

• Ask which recall work was done, and ask for the invoice. “The brake recall was done” could mean the old campaign.
• Check the VIN yourself on NHTSA.gov, since it’s quick and doesn’t depend on anyone’s memory.
• If you’re selling, get the new remedy first. It’s free, and a rear-brake recall left open is an easy reason for a buyer to walk away.

What we don’t know

• Your VIN’s status. Model and year don’t settle it.
• How many owners still need the repair. NHTSA gives the potential population of 1,440, not completions.
• Why the earlier remedy was replaced. The record doesn’t say.
• Whether any crashes or injuries were reported. Not in the record.
• Parts availability and repair time. Neither is stated.
• Insurance. The paperwork says nothing about coverage. If you want to know how a recall-related brake failure would be handled on your policy, ask your insurer or agent.

Bottom line

If you own a 2025 or 2026 Panigale V4 or Streetfighter V4, check the VIN and call a Ducati dealer. The thermal-shield replacement is free, and the record is explicit that earlier recall work doesn’t count.