Volkswagen has told dealerships across the country to halt the sale of some of its vehicles while it investigates transmission leaks.

2014 Volkswagen Passat, Jetta, Beetle and Beetle Convertible models built after February 1, with the 1.8-liter gasoline engine and automatic transmission are affected.

According to The Boston Globe and The New York Times, the issue affects around 25,000 vehicles--around half of which are still sitting on dealer lots.

The problem is caused by an O-ring linking the transmission fluid line to a cooler.

This can potentially fail, and the leaking transmission fluid could then cause a fire risk.

No official recall has been announced, but Volkswagen is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on how best to fix the cars that have already been sold. Owners with affected vehicles should contact their dealerships.

The issue does not appear to affect Volkswagen vehicles with other engine and transmission combinations--so popular TDI diesel models, available with six-speed manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions, are unaffected.

No fires or crashes have been reported, relating to the affected cars. The required parts to fix the leak should arrive within the next few weeks, and repairs are expected to take around half an hour.

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