106 of the
1,249 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Routan
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2009.
The brakes randomly stop working. At random times you go to brake and have to push the pedal all the way to the floor to start stopping. 2nd issue. The car dies and looses all power at intermittent times while driving. The car has to be restarted while driving. Could be driving 70 on a hwy or 30 on a residential street. Either coast to the side of the road to restart... or quickly put the car in neutral and restart it while driving. Both of these have almost caused wrecks several times. Unknown own causes to both as they happen at random and different times.
NHTSA complaint #11643273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Battery failure due to parasitic draw from Ignition IOD fuse ( J13fuse) reads 0.9 draw and M11 fuse ( hvac system) reads 0.6 draw. First occurrence 2/10/24 and second occurrence 2/11/24. Informed auto repair shop on 2/12/24 and goes in for diagnostic 2/15/24. Abs control module failure( intermittent ) Egr valve replacement (8/9/24 due to overheating but no warning lights due to overheating was displayed which is strange) Speed control sensor was replaced as well 8/9/24 but still has problems getting stuck or not reading the right speed . Consumes fuel faster than normal as well . Getting about 9 miles to the gallon.
NHTSA complaint #11571385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At first it starts off the vehicle will just shut off while you are driving which is very dangerous I have read many people complaining about this it needs to be recalled then the brakes go and then the transmission seal I have done all the maintenance up keep on my vehicle there is no reason for the vehicle did you shut off the way it keeps shutting off and dying for no reason the battery keeps dying by the next morning when nothing is left on in the vehicle it has caused me a great deal of grief and it is very scary when you have children in the car and your vehicle just shuts off on the freeway when everything is electric guess what no breaks
NHTSA complaint #11560584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on a highway at 65 Mph, vehicle shut down, lost brakes, steering, and all power, had to coast to a stop, narrowly avoiding a collision. Upon exhaustive review, TIPM was faulty, causing starting issues, intermittent power loss, and fuel pump issues. As this van is manufactured by Chrysler (for VW) and their (identical) model has the same issue, it was known and recalled, it is appalling that no recall exists for this VW model. These vans are being financed and bought by families, and like us driven daily with children in them. The issue is widespread, very well known, but as in our case, not disclosed by dealerships as no official action has ever been taken, and no official record exists. We have learned all about it through trial and error, and are having to pay for possibly fatal errors committed on the part of the manufacturer - who, to state again, has in fact already recalled the vehicles due to it being such a wide spread and dangerous issue with a primarily family vehicle. Again, for clarity, the VW Routan is no longer in production, but when it was it was manufactured by Chrysler for VW, and is part for part a Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town and Country. Why is this critical recall in existence for only a portion of the vehicles? This has become a major issue as we have to continue reducing this van until we can sell or trade it.
NHTSA complaint #11457492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This has happened multiple times. The ignition will cut off which make the car engine quit running. Loss of braking, steering, power has left me in the middle of intersections being nearly avoided being ran into. When this happens all the warning lights come on and the engine turns off. The exact problem VW recall number 28H1 is affecting my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11455174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which then depowers various key safety systems including, but not limited to, air bags, power steering, and power braking. This has happened to me several times including while driving on the interstate and in traffic. I was able to pull over but it is very difficult when power steering and power breaking goes out. I had children in the vehicle several times when this has happened. Per Volkswagon website, I removed all keychains or anything that would cause the key fob to be weighed down. When I contacted them, they said my van is not under recall even though it is the same exact issue previous models had been recalled for. The only symptom prior was the check engine light was on.
NHTSA complaint #11439049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THANK GOD I WAS NOT GOING FAST. VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. WAS ABLE TO PUT IN PARK AND WAS ABLE TO START IT BACK UP. APPARENTLY, THE ROUTAN IS MANUFACTURED BY CRYSLER AND THIS ISSUE ALSO HAPPENS WITH THE 09 TOWN AND COUNTRIES AS WELL.
NHTSA complaint #11412826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ESC WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY DISPLAYED, AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #11403438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FIVE TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS THE POWER IN THE VAN BASICALLY TURNS OFF. THE STEERING BECOMES NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE AND THE BRAKES BECOME EXTREMELY TIGHT TO THE POINT YOU CAN'T EVEN USE THEM. IT IS TERRIFYING TO HAVE ZERO CONTROL OVER YOUR CAR CONSIDERING I HAVE 4 CHILDREN. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS GOING ONLY 30MPH AND ALSO WHEN I WAS GOING 45 MPH. IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M GOING STRAIGHT AND HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE TURNING. SINCE THE LATEST ISSUE I REFUSE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THAT I CAN'T TAKE BACK ROADS TO.
NHTSA complaint #11364690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK APPROX. 30-35 MILES PER HOUR AND MY VAN DIED. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. LUCKILY I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. WITHIN A SPAN OF LESS THAN 2 YEARS IVE ALREADY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE BATTERY, AND THE ALTERNATOR IS STILL NEW AND UNDER WARRANTY. THE IGNITION/POWER WINDOWS FUSE CONSTANTLY NEEDS ADJUSTING SO I CAN ROLL MY WINDOW UP OR DOWN. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON RANDOMLY AS WELL. SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON. NEVER HAD A VEHICLE DIE ON ME WHILE DRIVING DUE TO MANUFACTURERS ISSUES. AFTER READING OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES IM VERY CONFIDENT ITS THE TIPM. SOME COMPLAIN THAT THIS COSTS PEOPLE $1 000S ON A CHANCE THAT YOU CAN GET A COUPLE MORE YEARS OUT OF IT. THE VAN WANTS TO TURN OVER AND CONTINUES CRANKING WHEN KEY FOB IS IN IGNITION BUT DOESN'T TURN OVER. I CANNOT GET IT TO START AT ALL.
NHTSA complaint #11354495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2018. THE FIRST LONG DISTANCE TRIP THE TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING ON PA I-76. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AS THE VAN SHIFTED ERADICALLY, STALLED WHILE IN MOTION, AND STOPPED SHIFTING ALL TOGETHER. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE WE PURCHASED IT. THEY SENT IT TO THE TRANSMISSION PLACE THAT ORIGINALLY DID THE TRANSMISSION WORK. THEY REPLACED A DEFECTIVE PART. EVER SINCE THE REPAIR THE VAN SHIFTS HARD AND AT ODD TIMES. THREE WEEKS AGO IT BEGAN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND BEGAN TO SHIFT ERRATICALLY AGAIN. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP AGAIN THEY SAID IT WAS OUR BREAKS, WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC, IT'S NOT THE BREAKS. IT IS AGAIN AT THE TRANSMISSION SHOP. THIS HAS COST US TIME, MONEY AND OUR SAFETY. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR VW TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS VAN- WHO HAS TO DIE FOR ANYTHING TO BE RESOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #11279757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT START EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE TRY'S. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF DURING DRIVING EVENTS CITY AND HIGHWAY. ABS LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AUTOMATICALLY DURING DRIVING. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO A VW DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSES, NOR REMEDY THE ISSUE. I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $2,000 FOR THESE VW DEALER VISITS. THIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT BY CHRYSLER FOR VW AND CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL ON THE TIPM FOR THE CHRYSLER VEHICLES. VW REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE TIPM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING AND ALL POWER AND BRAKING FUNCTIONS ARE LOST. AT THIS TIME, I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1,500 TO HAVE VW REPLACE THE TIPM IN THE HOPES THAT IT RESOLVES THIS DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE AND KEEPS MY FAMILY SAFE. NHTSA MUST INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE WITH CHRYSLER AND REALIZE THAT IT APPLIES TO VW ROUTAN VEHICLES BUILT BY THEM AS WELL, AND FORCE VW TO RECALL THE VEHICLES AND FIX THE ISSUE AT THEIR COST AND PROVIDE FULL REIMBURSEMENT TO ALL ROUTAN OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT ACTIONS ARE NHTSA TAKING ON THIS CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE?
NHTSA complaint #11252368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REPORTED ISSUE TO VW RECALL GROUP VIA TELEPHONE 5/13/2019. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO A RECALL THAT TOOK PLACE FOR VW ROUTAN 2009-2010 THAT WERE CREATED BETWEEN THE DATES OF OCTOBER 2019 TO JUNE 2010. OUR VEHICLE WAS CREATED IN AUGUST OF 2010, AND I SUSPECT THE SAME PARTS WERE STILL USED. TWO ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED WITH 2010 VW ROUTAN SEL MINIVAN 4.0L ISSUES STARTED OCCURRING AFTER REPLACING A LOST KEY FOB. KEY FOB WAS ORDERED THROUGH LOCAL VW DEALER (BOB KING VW) AND REPLACED. FIRST ISSUE: CAR WOULD NOT START. PUT KEY INTO IGNITION SWITCH, TURN KEY, THE IGNITION SWITCH CLICKS BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IN ORDER TO START CAR, WAIT AND REPEAT STEPS UNTIL CAR ACTUALLY STARTS. SECOND ISSUE: (HIGHLY DANGEROUS) INTERMITTENT SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING POWER STEERING TO TURN OFF AS WELL AS BRAKES. VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT TURNING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AS WELL AS BRAKING. IN ORDER TO BRAKE YOU HAVE TO APPLY GREAT FORCE TO BREAK SINCE THERE IS NO POWER TO THE CAR. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERED OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS AT LEAST FOUR (4) TIMES WHILE THE PRIMARY DRIVER HAS BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE LAST TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED 5/13/2019 THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A MAJOR ROAD WAY NEAR AN INTERSECTION. EVASIVE MANEUVERS WERE TAKEN TO GET VEHICLE OFF OF ROAD AND INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT OFF THE STREET.
NHTSA complaint #11207706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VAN CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. INABILITY TO STEER, LIMITED BRAKING. CAR GOES COMPLETELY DEAD BUT STILL START BACK ONCE I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR DRIVING OVER 45 WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU.
NHTSA complaint #11192547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE CAR HAS STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I AM DRIVING. VEHICLE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. IN PAST HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER WITH THIS COMPLAINT AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG
NHTSA complaint #11184564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VAN SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING FOR THE FOURTH TIME. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP AT A LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY NOW THAN BEFORE (WITH 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH). MY VAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN WIN MODULE RECALL AS THE VIN IS A COUPLE OF DIGITS OFF. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND SCARY.
NHTSA complaint #11163515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 30MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO BRAKE WELL. LOOKING ONLINE THEIR WAS A RECALL ON MY MODEL YEAR AND MAKE OF VAN FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL. I CONTACTED VW AND THEY ALSO STATED MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY.
NHTSA complaint #11150122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VAN HAS SHUT OFF TWICE NOW WHILE DRIVING. BOTH EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TURNING RIGHT, AT A SLOW SPEED ON CITY STREETS (ONE TIME WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE). I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND THE ENGINE APPEARS TO SHUT DOWN (RADIO REMAINS ON). WHEN I FIRST TRIED TO RESTART IT, IT WOULDN'T AND THEN THE SECOND ATTEMPT SOUNDED UNUSUAL BUT IT DID START. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS WELL. BOTH TIMES WERE IN GOOD DRIVING CONDITIONS. AFTER THE FIRST TIME, DUE TO MY RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE, I ONLY USE THE FOB WITH NOTHING ELSE HANGING FROM IT. IN ADDITION, I ALSO HAVE THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY NOT STARTING. I USUALLY GET IT TO START BY FIDDLING WITH THE SHIFTER. OF COURSE, MY VAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE IGNITION MODULE RECALL, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ABSURD AS IT IS CLEARLY HAPPENING TO A LOT OF US. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS VAN EXCEPT FOR THESE TWO MAJOR ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #11141053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.