76 of the
1,249 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Routan
are about the steering —
6% 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.
loss of steering while driving, fluid loss multiple times since late september 2024(all while driving and no lights or warnings came on), 2 snapped serpentine belts, key ignition sticking(would not turn), dashboard not lighting up, rpm no longer rests below 1.5 - 2, car struggles to accelerate(especially uphill), car turns over and struggles to start, even though has newer battery. 1/9/25 driving to an appointment, upon reaching destination, a pop sound. No smell, no warnings came up on dashboard. Upon leaving, saw fluid leak, headed straight to dealership, at which a massive amount of fluid began pouring out of vehicle..in exact same area as original issue from 8/31/24.
NHTSA complaint #11635180 — 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.
referenced to recall nhsta Id no:11v-151 same issue happens on newer models, the car key ignition switch does not secure the key and that causes the car shut-down in tje middle of highway or road intermittently! ıt does not give any dashboard warning and no codes! all the lights are being gone and even ac shuts off! when ı push the key the lights come back on and the car can be turned on again. similiar problems are poster on youtube: https://youtu.be/ZESy-MnVPZs
NHTSA complaint #11427268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VAN HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. POWER STEERING IS LOST. VEHICLE WILL THEN START RIGHT BACK UP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR A MINIVAN USED TO TRANSPORT MULTIPLE CHILDREN. NO CODES OR FAULTS ARE RECORDED.
NHTSA complaint #11383517 — 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.
HAD TO REPLACE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. HAD TO REPLACE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING AT 80,500 MILES. BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS WERE MAKING GRINDING NOISES. RACK AND PINION HYDRAULIC LINE CRACKED AT ELBOW AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. RACK AND PINION PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING CLOSE TO HOME. LOST ALL STEERING IN DRIVEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11327207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FIRST MY ROUTAN HAS BEEN IN MY POSESSION FOR I BELIEVE ABOUT 5 YEARS. I CHECK THE OIL REGULARY AND KEEP OIL CHANGES, TIRES, AND INSPECTIONS UP TO DATE ARE REGULAR. SINCE OWNING IT, I HAVE HAD A HUGE ANTIFREEZE LEAK (WHILE ON VACATION), WHICH WAS AN EASY FIX, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE PART MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS ABSURD! I WAS HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH IT NOT STARTING. YOU WOULD HAVE TO TRY TO START IT OVER AND OVER, AND JUST WHEN YOU CALLED A GARAGE IT WOULD START (THIS ISSUE SEEMED TO BE FIXED WHEN THE DEALER CHANGED THE IGNITION, PER THE RECALL) FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE GOVENER KICKIS IN, AND THE VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO 30MPH. IT HAPPENS INFREQUENTLY, BUT SEEMS TO BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. THE SOLUTION IS TO PULL OVER, TURN IT OFF, START IT BACK UP, AND YOUR GOOD TO GO FOR DAYS TO WEEKS UNTIL IT DOES IT AGAIN. TYPICALLY IT HAPPENS SHORTLY AFTER STARTING A TRIP, AND WHILE GAINING SPEED, YOU SUDDENLY CANNOT GO THE SPEED YOU WOULD LIKE. I DO BELIEVE IT CONTINUES TO GET MORE FREQUENT IN OCCURANCE ****NOW THE SCARY THING THAT GETS ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT**** I HAVE SEEN THIS LISTED MANY TIMES ALREADY. MY HUSBAND WAS AGAIN AWAY ON A TRIP THIS WEEKEND. HE HAD JUST DONE A LOT OF CIRCLE TYPE STEERING AT THE GAS STATION TRYING TO PARK (I MENTION THIS BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE COMPLAINED OF THIS ISSUE AFTER A ROUND ABOUT). HE PARKED. HE STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, HE BACKED UP, AND WHEN HE TRIED TO TURN TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT, THERE WAS NO STEERING. HE PULLED FORWARD. HE PUT IT IN PARK, HE TURNED IT OFF. HE STARTED IT, HE DROVE 2.5 HOURS HOME WITH MY 3 KIDS UNDER 9. HE HAD NO ISSUES. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THANKFULLY HE WAS GOING 2 MPH, BUT I HAVE SEEN CASES OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERSTATE. WHAT IF I DRIVE IT, AND WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND MY FAMILY DIES? HOW CAN I DRIVE A CAR THAT LOST STEERING AND FEEL SAFE!?
NHTSA complaint #11256039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
I BELIEVE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY BUT MY VIN DOES NOT COME UP UNDER THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS (15V194000 OR 11V151000). ONE TIME WHEN ACCELERATING UP A BUMPY HILL GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND POWER STEERING WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN IT OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND TURN IT BACK ON. ANOTHER TIME ON A FLAT BUMPY ROAD, ACCELERATING AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN WITH NO POWER STEERING AVAILABLE. I AGAIN PULLED OVER, PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT.
NHTSA complaint #11205482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VAN RACED FORWARD THEN STOPPED ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. NOW WON'T RUN AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT OF A TARGET WHEN HAPPENED
NHTSA complaint #11204319 — 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.
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.
MY 2012 VW ROUTAN CUTS OFF WHILE IN MOTION. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR IS NO LONGER RUNNING. ALSO SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE IT CRANKS. VW NEEDS A FIX FOR THIS!
NHTSA complaint #11176601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2012 VW ROUTAN LATELY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, MY VAN HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE DASHBOARD, ENGINE, POWER STEERING, EVERYTHING COMPLETELY TURNS OFF AND I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP AND I START THE ENGINE AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME IT SHUT DOWN, I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY DRIVING AT 35 MPH. OUT OF NO WHERE, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, SIMULTANEOUSLY THE DASHBOARD TURNED OFF AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON. BUT THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, DRIVING IN THE RAIN, AT 60 MILES/HR. THE SCARIEST PART IS NOT HAVING CONTROL OF THE WHEEL AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE RESTARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN. THE MECHANIC I CONTACTED WAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON, I DON'T GET ANY TYPE OF WARNING AND NO "CODES" COME UP. I AM TERRIFIED OF DRIVING MY VAN ANYMORE. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND A RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM, BUT FOR OLDER MODELS (UP TO 2011). I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE LOCAL VW DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CANNOT HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE 2012 MODELS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHY THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER THE 2011 VW ROUTAN REACALL IF IT IS FOR THE EXACT SAME SAFETY DEFECT. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO GET HURT OR WORSE BEFORE THE ISSUE GETS ADDRESSED?
NHTSA complaint #11173298 — 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.