FaultScore

Volkswagen Routan stability control problems

36 of the 1,249 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Routan are about the stability control — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2009.

36

Complaints

3%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

Stability & Traction Control complaints by model year

2009 Routan 14 38.9%

Median failure at 87,400 miles

2010 Routan 9 25.0%

Median failure at 115,295 miles

2011 Routan 12 33.3%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

2012 Routan 1 2.8%

Median failure at 70,000 miles

What owners said

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 150,000 miles Athens, AL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS GONE OUT WHILE DRIVING IN LIMESTONE COUNTY ALABAMA. KEYS DON'T START IT NONE OF AUTOMATIC DOORS WILL OPEN.

NHTSA complaint #11363943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 71,000 miles Orlando, FL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THIS VEHICLE IS BASICALLY A CHRYSLER/DODGE WITH VW BRANDING, AND ONE OF THE KEYS IS EVEN A DODGE KEY. IT HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TIPM AND FUEL RELAY MODULE THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE 2011 CHRYSLER AND DODGE VANS. SEE FUEL PUMP RELAY RECALL NHTSA 14V-530. I'M ASKING THAT IT ALSO BE RECALLED FOR THE 2011 VW ROUTAN SINCE IT'S VERY DANGEROUS THAT MY CAR COULD STOP AT ANY MOMENT. I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY VAN FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN NEW JERSEY WHO NEGLECTED TO EVEN INFORM ME THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I INFORMED THEM THAT I'D BE DRIVING THE CAR CROSS COUNTRY. WHEN I WAS IN GEORGIA THE CAR STARTED CRANKING, BUT WOULDN'T START AND IT HAS HAD THIS SAME INTERMITTENT ISSUE SINCE I ARRIVED IN FL. IT TOOK A WHILE FOR US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS EVEN WRONG WITH IT BECAUSE WHEN THE AUTO SHOP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC, NO CODES WERE RETURNED. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT THE ISSUE TO OCCUR AGAIN, THEY FOUND THAT TAPPING ON THE FUEL RELAY MODULE IN THE TIPM WOULD ALLOW THE CAR TO START. THEY ADVISED TO TAKE IT TO CHRYSLER BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY A CHRYSLER VAN UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER, THEY TURNED ME AWAY BECAUSE THE VIN IS FOR A VW. WHEN I CALLED VW, THEY SAID NO RECALL EXISTED FOR THIS VAN EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SAME ISSUE. SO, I'M ASKING THAT A RECALL ALSO BE DONE ON 2011 VW ROUTAN'S SINCE THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME DANGEROUS ISSUE CALLED OUT IN THE CHRYSLER RECALL. LASTLY, I EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE BOTH WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE IT WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint #11344079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Volkswagen Routan at 129,000 miles Rockford, IL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I JUST PURCHASED THE 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. I HAVE HAD IT 3 WEEKS IT RANDOMLY DIED WHEN TEST DRIVING THE VAN AND ALL THE ALARMS AND LIGHTS CAME ON. WE JUST THOUGHT I DIDN'T HAVE THE FOB IN RIGHT. THEN IT STARTED TO RANDOMLY NOT START, EVEN THE REMOTE START WILL NOT WORK. THE LIGHTS, RADIO, ALARM, WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS WORK LIKE THEY NORMALLY SHOULD. USUALLY IF I WAIT LIKE 20 MINUTES AND KEEP TRYING THE KEY (TAKING IT OUT OF THE IGNITION AND REINSERTING IT) UNTIL IT STARTS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR 7 DAYS. THURSDAY 10/10/2019 NOTHING WORKED LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND STILL NOTHING TRIED TO JUMP IT AND IT FINALLY STARTED. TOOK TO PLACE I PURCHASED JD BYRIDER IN JANESVILLE, WI AND THEY BELIEVE IT WAS THE STARTER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TURNING AND IT WAS REPLACED ON 10/11/2019. THEN 2 HOURS LATER THE CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE DEALER CAME TO RESCUE ME AND WE TRIED THE ACTUAL KEY AND AT FIRST IT DIDN'T WORK, WE PUSHED THE GAS AND IT AS AS THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BUT STARTED. THEN DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 26 FROM JOHNSON CREEK, WI TO JANESVILLE, WI, IT WAS MAKING SQUEAKING NOISES FROM THE ENGINE. WE COULD HEAR IT THROUGH THE HEATING VENTS. THEN THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND IT KEPT DINGING. WHEN I GOT TO JANESVILLE, I CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE ON ALL THE TIRES AND IT WAS FINE. BECAUSE I LIVE IN ROCKFORD, IL, I DROVE DOWN I90 AND THE CAR AT TIMES STARTED SHAKING LIKE IT WAS GOING DIED. AGAIN, TODAY IT WON'T START NOT EVEN WITH AN ACTUAL KEY. ALSO, THE DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK IS NOT WORKING AND HAD TO HAVE A PART ORDERED. THE VEHICLE HAS 129,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #11268099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 155,800 miles Fayetteville, NC

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE DRIVING (CAR IN MOTION)THE CAR TO PICK UP MY CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL, IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS DRAINING. THE ALERT LIGHT BEEPED SO I LOOKED AT DASH THE LIGHTS/INFO ON CAR STARTED BLINKING THEN THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. NO POWER WOULD WORK I COULDN'T ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS OR TURN ON HAZARD LIGHTS, I HAD TO PUT CAR IN PARK. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT START FROM A JUMP. THE CAR HAD NO WARNING SIGNS AND WAS RECENTLY INSPECTED AND CHECKED ON COMPUTER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET ANY CODES OR SEE ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS. CAR WOULD NOT EVEN GO INTO NEUTRAL TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOME AND STILL NOT ABLE TO JUMP BATTERY AND CAR WON'T START. ALL POWER REMAINS OFF AND CAN'T LOCK CAR WITH KEY EITHER.

NHTSA complaint #11253574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 90,000 miles Glencoe, IL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE ENGINE STALLS AS THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND IT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 8 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 24 MONTHS. WE DISCOVERED THAT 12,000 AND MORE ROUTAN 2009 AND 2010 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SOME FATALITIES REPORTED DUE TO THIS DEFECT: IGNITION MODULS AND ELECTRONIC MODULS. VW AND GM-CHRYSLER ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE VW. DEALER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AS MY VW ROUTAN SEEMS NOT HAVING BEEN TRACKED DOWN DURING INITIAL RECALLS.

NHTSA complaint #11245041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 85,000 miles Bronx, NY

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

CAR SHUT OFF NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN STEERING WHEEL IT JUST STOPS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO KEEP IT RUNNING HOPEFULLY NO ONE IS TAILING ME BECAUSE IF NOT I WILL DEFINITELY CRASH. MECHANIC CAN'T SEEM TO FIND PROBLEM. MAYBE TIPM OR KEY FOB? CHANGED KEY FOB NO LUCK

NHTSA complaint #11191746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Volkswagen Routan at 120,000 miles Camp Lejeune, NC

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHEN I'M DRIVING ALL THE LIGHTS WILL TURN ON ON THE DASH BOARD THEN TURN OFF AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN IN THE PROCESS WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS TURN ON WHILE I'M DRIVING THE VAN WILL SAY I'M GOING 0 MILES PER HOUR

NHTSA complaint #11184520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Volkswagen Routan at 70,000 miles Stratford, NJ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

TIPM - THE TIPM IN THE ROUTAN HAS BEEN NOTED AS MALFUNCTIONING ON MANY ONLINE FORUMS. MY TIPM MALFUNCTIONED AND MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOP ON A HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA complaint #11154490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Volkswagen Routan at 87,400 miles Lake Jackson, TX

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ONE NIGHT AND THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM IS ACTIVATING BY ITSELF. TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHICH IS THE WHOLE CLOCKSPRING. THEY TOLD ME THE SENSOR IS SAYING I'M AT A 42 DEGREE ANGLE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS STRAIGHT. THE ANGLE OF THE SENSOR SHOULD BE 0-15 DEGREES. BECAUSE OF THIS IT'S TELLING THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM THAT I'M ABOUT TO FLIP CAUSING THE BRAKES TO APPLY BY THEMSELVES. I'M NOT ABLE TO DRIVE OVER 20MPH WITHOUT IT ACTIVATING THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET IT REPAIRED SO I HAD TO DISABLE THE WHOLE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM UNTIL I HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE IT.

NHTSA complaint #11153006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 117,545 miles Jacksonville, FL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY TIPM MODULES OF THE CAR IS CAUSING A LOTS OF PROBLEMS AND THAT HAS AFFECTED MY FUEL PUMP, BATTERY, AND STARTER.I HAVE TO REPLACE A NEW FUEL PUMP,A NEW BATTERY AND A NEW STARTER AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM IS STILL PERSISTING.

NHTSA complaint #11150748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 5 miles Jacksonville, FL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

AFTER THE CAR IS PARKED BACK LIFT GATE OPENS SUDDENLY, ALSO AUTOMATIC SIDE DOORS SUDDENLY OPENS. LOTS OF OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WON'T START. AT ONE TIME MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY IT JUST STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND COULD NOT START. NO SIGN OF EMPTY GAS OR ENGINE LIGHTS WARNINGS. AFTER THE BEING TAKEN TO THE SHOP DIAGNOSE IS SENSORS NOT WORKING AND LOTS OF TIME SENSORS WERE REPLACED BUT THE HARD START KEEPS ON DOING IT TO THIS DATE. SOMETIME IT STARTS SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT.

NHTSA complaint #11114329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 130,000 miles Garland, TX

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

2010 VOLKSWAGON ROUTAN HAS STOPPED IN MID TRAFFIC GOING 30-40 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD. LIGHTS AND AUDIO HAVE FLICKERED, THEN TURN OFF. CAR SPONTANEOUSLY STARTS AND STOPS ANY GIVEN TIME IN MOTION AND STANDING STILL, AND CANNOT BE JUMPED TO REVIVE. HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR WITH MY CHILDREN AND HAVE HAD IT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE HAVE HAD IT LESS THAN A YEAR, COMPLETELY UNSAFE. TOLD THE EXACT RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VIN#.

NHTSA complaint #11076779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 148,845 miles Edgewater, MD Fire

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE DRIVER'S DOOR, SNOW FELL ONTO THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH. AFTER THE CONTACT CLEANED THE SNOW OFF THE SWITCH, SHE LATER SMELLED A BURNING ODER COMING FROM THE DOOR. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE WINDOW LATER IN THE DAY, BUT THE WINDOW FAILED TO GO DOWN. THE CONTACT CHECKED THE FUSES AND OTHER COMPONENTS ON THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT WATER FROM THE MELTED SNOW CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,845.

NHTSA complaint #11071699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 62,300 miles Norman, OK

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

REPLACED FUEL PUMP AFTER ISSUES WITH ENGINE REFUSING TO TURN OVER. NEXT DAY AFTER REPAIR THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START; TOWED TO GARAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS. ONE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO START IT AND ANOTHER NOT. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE. I HAVE EXPLORED THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND FIND MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE NEED TO REPLACEMTHE TIPM. THIS VAN HAS AN ENGINE BUILT BY CHRYSLER WHICH RECALLED ITS 2011 VANS TO REPLACE THIS DEVICE. PLEASE FORCE VW TO DO THE SAME! THANKFULLY THE VAN WAS IN PARK WHEN IT REFUSED TO START.

NHTSA complaint #11056826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 89,000 miles Girard, OH

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

TIPM MODULE. MY 2011 VW ROUTAN WAS BUILT BY CHRYSLER WITH THE SAME PARTS AS ANY OTHER CHRYSLER CAR AT THAT TIME. CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES MADE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE CAR WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING! IMAGINE GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING 70MPH WITH YOUR KIDS IN THE CAR AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ONLY DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT. BECAUSE THE CAR IS BRANDED AS A VW, CHRYSYLER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE RECALLED PART WHICH I WAS QUOTED AT $1300 FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND VW SAYS IT IS A CHRYSLER PART AND ISSUE. THIS THIN GRAY LINE IS COSTING PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND POSSIBLY EVEN LIVES.

NHTSA complaint #11052235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 66,000 miles Norman, OK

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ESP ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF GEAR WHEN STOPPED AS IF THE BREAK IS NOT DETECTED. HAVE TO SHUT CAR OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC OR DROP OF LINES AND TURN BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES TO CLEAR ERROR AND GET SHIFTER TO SHIFT TO DRIVE GEAR. USED SNAP ON READER TO CHECK CODES AND DOES NOT RECOGNIZE CAR AS VW, INSTEAD IT PULLS UP CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. TRIED TO REPLACE A BREAK LIGHT MODULE, THE PART WAS ACTUALLY FOR A DODGE NEON. (I AM ONLY OWNER, BOUGHT VAN BRAND NEW). SYMPTOM CAME BACK AFTER TWO DAYS. CODE READER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING CAUSING CODE TRIGGER. ALSO KEY DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK IN IGNITION SWITCH, MUST SOMETIMES TRY TO TURN ON 3 TIMES. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE PURCHASE. AMAZED AT ALL THESE SAFETY ISSUES AND YET VW DOES NOTHING. $34,000 CAR AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE IT ALREADY. ONLY 66,000 MILES ON THE CAR. TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY VW AT 12,000 MILES, ROTORS CHANGED AT 9,000 MILES, MOTOR PARTS REBUILT AT 35,000 MILES. CAR BURNS 6 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 4,000 MILES. VAN DOORS WILL SHUT ON KIDS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO STOP WHEN SOMETHING IS IN THE WAY. WORST CAR I HAVE EVER BOUGHT, AND VW DOESN'T CARE TO RESOLVE ALL THESE ISSUES CUSTOMERS HAVE.

NHTSA complaint #11039881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan at 100,590 miles Surprise, AZ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

VAN WARNING LIGHTS COME ON WITHOUT NOTICE; WHEN DRIVEN INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLICKER AND DIM, AUDIO SYSTEM CUTS OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND HAD TIPM WAS REPLACED AND ISSUE STILL PERSISTS.

NHTSA complaint #11033333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Lehi, UT

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN 2010 WILL TURN OFF WHILE IN MOTION, ON HIGHWAY, STREET, OR WHEN STATIONARY. CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC AND WILL NOT ADJUST TO THE PROPER GEAR WHEN DRIVING. WHEN IN DRIVE THE CAR WILL ACT AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND ROLL BACKWARDS AND WILL NOT KICK INTO FIRST GEAR. THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM NEVER WORKS PROPERLY AND IS CONSTANTLY NEEDING NEW BATTERIES VERY FEW MONTHS. THIS CAR IS UNSTABLE, UNSAFE, AND UNRELIABLE! THE VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN 2010 NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY!

NHTSA complaint #11022870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Volkswagen Routan at 79,000 miles Miami, FL

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

CAR WON'T START. LOW CHARGE, LIGHTS NOT WORKING, HORN NOT WORKING, OVER HEATING. FIRST IT HAPPANED WHILE PARKED AND THEN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11006056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 Volkswagen Routan at 130,000 miles Taylors, SC

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

AS WE ARE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY CUTS OFF AND WILL NOT LET YOU DRIVE - THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND YOUR FORCED INTO TURNING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OFF THEM BACK ON AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE IN TRAFFIC WHICH NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #10995677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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