Volkswagen Jetta wiring problem creates fire risk

NHTSA campaign 26V138000 · Reported 2026-03-11 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

critical How serious is it? About this label

Any fire risk is serious, but the notice does not tell owners to park the car or stop driving it, so drive it as little as you need to and get the free fix as soon as you can.

What's wrong, in plain English

On certain 2025-2026 Jetta cars, a ground wire for the transmission may not have been connected properly when the car was built. That leaves a break in the electrical circuit. With the circuit broken, it can pull a higher electrical current than it should, and that raises the chance of a fire. A dealer will inspect the transmission ground wire and repair it if needed. Volkswagen mailed owner letters on March 31, 2026, and the repair is done at a dealership.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — these VINs became searchable on March 13, 2026. 2. Contact your Volkswagen dealer or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 (recall 97TC) to book the inspection. 3. Have the ground wire inspected and repaired — there is no charge.

Affected vehicles (1)

2025 Volkswagen Jetta

Who to contact

Volkswagen — official Volkswagen recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-893-5298

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Volkswagen electrical recalls: ID.4 battery fires and sudden power loss · all 16 Volkswagen recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Jetta vehicles. The transmission ground wire may not have been properly connected during assembly, causing an open electrical circuit.
Safety risk: An open circuit may draw a higher current and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair transmission ground wire as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97TC. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.