The recall is due to potential risks that corrosion might cause the gas tank to burst and thus create a "considerable injury risk," Europe's largest automaker said on Wednesday.

Of about 5,900 affected MPVs with model years 2006 through 2009, some 3,800 are registered in Germany, Volkswagen's (VW) home market, it said.

VW said customers with vehicles affected by this recall should run the cars with gasoline until they have been refitted.

(Reporting by Andreas Cremer, editing by David Evans)