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Volkswagen Recalling 251,606 Jettas in North America Over Fire Risk

2016 Volkswagen Jetta
Photo: Volkswagen
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Daniel Rufiange
33,414 units in Canada are affected

Volkswagen announced it is recalling 251,606 Jetta models in North America to fix a possible fuel leak that poses a fire risk. The recall identifies some 2016-2018 Jetta models.

The recall identifies 218,192 models in the United States, and another 33,414 in Canada.

Volkswagen explains that the bolts holding some high-pressure tubing can come loos over time, which could then allow fuel to leak. Obviously that increases the risk of a fire.

The German automaker has yet to come up with a permanent fix for the problem, but it continues to work toward that. It says owners of affected vehicles will be contacted starting on December 20. The Jettas identified in the recall are equipped with the 1.4L engine and were assembled between June 18 2015 and December 9 2017.

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Documents posted by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) make no mention of any fires shown to be related to the problem, but the American agency does report having received a number of complaints. Owners may notice an odour of gasoline in the cabin, or see fuel leaking from the engine bloc.

Volkswagen says it is not aware of any fires or injuries resulting from the issue, either in Canada or in the U.S. The company recommends that owners contact a Volkswagen dealer immediately if they note an odour of gasoline or otherwise suspect fuel is leaking.

Daniel Rufiange
Daniel Rufiange
Automotive expert
  • Over 17 years' experience as an automotive journalist
  • More than 75 test drives in the past year
  • Participation in over 250 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists