FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018, file photo a logo of the brand Volkswagen on top of a company building is pictured prior to a Volkswagen stock company press conference in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is recalling nearly 225,000 vehicles in the U.S., Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, because the tire pressure monitoring systems may not detect air losses in all four tires at the same time. The recall covers certain 2019 Tiguan, Golf Sportswagen, Golf Alltrack, Golf R, and Audi Q3 and A3 vehicles. Also covered are some 2019 and 2020 Jetta, Golf, Atlas and Audi A3 models and some 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file)

Michael Sohn

DETROIT — Volkswagen is recalling more than 261,000 cars in the U.S. to fix a potential fuel leak that can increase the risk of fires.

The recall covers certain Audi A3s and VW Golfs and GTIs from the 2015 through 2020 model years. Also included are 2015 through 2019 Golf Sportwagens, and 2019 and 2020 VW Jettas. All the recalled cars have front-wheel drive.

VW says in documents posted Thursday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a problem with a pump seal can let fuel leak from a charcoal canister in the emissions control system. The agency says leaking fuel increases the risk of a fire.

Dealers will replace the pump, which is inside the fuel tank, at no cost to owners. VW will send out notification letters starting April 12.

The recall is the second for many of the car owners. VW recalled about 110,000 cars for the same problem in 2016, but the company found that the replacement pumps from the previous recall also were failing.

U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into the problem last year after getting 79 complaints of fuel leaks from owners.

VW said in documents that it had 1,410 warranty claims with repair dates from May of 2016 through December of last year. The documents say no fires related to the problem have been identified.