Volkswagen has issued a massive recall of some of its vehicles over concerns the engine cover could melt and ignite a fire.
The German automaker recalled more than 177,000 crossover SUVs, including its 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday.
Engine covers on the impacted cars may have been incorrectly installed and could come loose, making contact with hot engine surfaces and increasing the risk of a fire, the agency said.
Volkswagen is encouraging owners to bring the vehicles to their local dealerships, where the engine covers will be removed free of charge, the carmaker said.
It expects to mail notification letters to owners by April 18, according to the NHTSA.
The safety issue was reported to the NHTSA on Feb. 17, the agency said.
Some of the same Volkswagen models, including the 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport, were involved in a widespread recall last June that included 271,000 vehicles.
At the time, Volkswagen warned the front passenger air bags in the crossover SUVs may not inflate in a crash, worsening the risk of serious injury.
