Three Fires Later, Volkswagen Decides It’s Time To Recall A Lot Of New Jettas

Recalls happen all of the time, but in this case, a very small human error is leading to a big action from Volkswagen. Over 61,000 new Jettas need an inspection to figure out if workers building the car forgot an important step. A ground wire connected to the gearbox might not be connected. If it’s not, it could cause a fire.

The recall covers 48,165 U.S. market vehicles built between March 3, 2025, and February 17, 2026. There are another 13,318 Canadian market cars that are also affected. Volkswagen says the problem was caused by human error during the assembly process, and only a small percentage of vehicles, more specifically less than 1 percent of the recalled population, are expected to actually have the defect.

More: VW Warns Hundreds Of EV Owners To Park Outside Immediately After Charging

According to the safety report, the issue came to light after field reports in late 2025 suggested the ground wire may not have been installed correctly on some vehicles. The investigation confirmed that if the wire is missing, the circuit may route current through another component, increasing the chance of damage or fire.

Volkswagen says it is aware of six confirmed claims in the U.S. and Canada, including three cases where wiring melted, and three where the engine compartment caught fire. The incidents were limited to vehicle damage, and no injuries or crashes have been reported at the time of filing.

While fire risks are legitimate, VW stopped short of telling owners to park outside. For now, the direction to customers is simple: get to a dealer as soon as possible. Once there, service technicians will inspect the ground wire in question, connect it if need be, or replace it if there is some sort of damage. As is the case with pretty much all recalls, this action will be free for owners.