Volkswagen AG has issued a recall for nearly 64,000 Jettas across North America, including 3,000 in Canada, due to a threat of fuel leaks and fires.

The company stated that 2006 Jetta cars with 2.5-litre gasoline engines in the U.S. and Canada are at risk because a tab on the windshield-wiper fluid container can rub against a fuel line, causing leaks that could lead to fires.

The recall begins in August and affects about 58,900 cars in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. An additional 3,000 Jettas are being called back in Canada.

Dealers will remove the plastic tab on the fluid reservoir and, if necessary, replace the fuel line, Volkswagen's Auburn Hills, Michigan-based U.S. unit told NHTSA.

Volkswagen, Europe's largest automaker, sold 17,980 Jettas in Canada in 2006, accounting for over 50 per cent of the company's total Canadian sales. The Wolfsburg, Germany-based automaker sold a total of 35,123 vehicles in Canada that year.