The 2.0 diesel engines involved are in Jettas, Golfs and Audi A3s, including 2009 and 2010 models.
One accident and 160 complaints have been reported to the NHTSA, involving power loss and stalling, sometimes at highway speeds.
The problem is believed to involve failure of the pump and subsequent contamination of the fuel system with debris.
The fuel pumps are made by Bosch, and initial speculation is based around problems with fuel, either the low lubricity of very low sulphur diesel or wear from high sulphur fuel.
No reports of such failures have yet been revealed in Europe.
