volkswagen routan Problems

volkswagen routan 2009 Complaints

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

we recently purchased a 2009 volkswagen routan se with both driver and passenger automatic sliding doors. our 4 year old son went to open the rear passenger side door by pulling on the handle, and at the same time my husband went to open the door by pushing the "door open" button on the key. as a result of this, the door ended up closing completely, and latching, on my son's hand. it also would only open once my husband forcefully pulled the door open. of course his hand immediately swelled up and we visited the emergency department, had xray's taken, and there was no incidence of a fracture. when we reported this directly to volkswagen of america, we were instructed to bring it to the local dealer and have diagnostics done. the result? "there is nothing wrong with your vehicle." they went on to explain to us that the anti pinch protection is working, but is not designed to sense such a small object. volkswagen of america assured us that this matter was not taken lightly, and that the engineering department came to the conclusion that the door was functioning properly. when we addressed any further actions, ie replacement of door, vehicle, or termination of our lease agreement, we were told, "we are sorry for this unfortunate accident, but accidents happen and there is nothing more we can do for you." when we expressed our concern that our 4 year old son is petrified of our car, and that he refuses to get into the vehicle by himself, let alone open the door alone, we were told, "i am sure he will get over it after a while." these answers are not acceptable to us. for a car that is marketed as a family mobile and a safe vehicle, we feel that it does not live up to it's claims. it makes no sense why an automatic door would be designed to sense something bigger than a child's hand, limb, or other body part. what goes hand in hand with a minivan? a child! we feel we have been neglected due to the lack of caring or importance that this matter has been given.

Reported in: SWAMPSCOTT MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

EQUIPMENT

Reported in: SWAMPSCOTT MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

SEATS

i am writing you due to an incident that happened to my child concerning the vw routon minivan. we were looking at one on display at hickam air force base this past saturday, the 4th of july., 2009. the back hatch was open and my 7 year old found buttons that powered the last row of seats. these buttons lifted the seats up and down. to my horror i all of sudden heard my 3 year old screaming. he was standing in the car directly in front of the last row of seats with his foot lodged in between the seat and the floor. the power lift was still running and smashing his foot. there was no sensor that stopped the power seat. i feel this could be very dangerous. what would happen if a child's head got lodged in this mechanism. luckily my child had crock shoes on and was able to pull his foot out of his shoe but there was quite an indentation mark from where the seat was pushing on his foot. the doors in minivans have sensors--i believe these power lift back row seats should have some sort of sensor. i would hate to have a child get killed by this.

Reported in: HONOLULU HI || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

back up camera on the volkswagen routan minivan is unusable. video has no contrast, low color level, lacks detail, wrong colors, etc. this camera is a hazard for anyone that tries to use it for backing up. same camera as on all chrysler minivans. additionally when the van is equipped with the camera, they delete the backup sensors, leaving no aids for determining if the blind spots are clear.

Reported in: INDIANAPOLIS IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X19R

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

my 2009 volkswagen routan slipped into reverse while i was behind it today running me over and causing a leg injury.

Reported in: GRAND RAPIDS MI || Crash: Y || VIN #: 2V8HW341X9R

SEAT BELTS

i have a 2009 volkswagen routan. the third row is a bench seat, which has latch compatibility in one place. the owner's manual states that a child safety seat (booster or infant seat) can be installed using the latch system in the center seat of the third row. when a booster seat or an infant seat are, in fact, installed in this third row, the child is actually positioned in between the outboard seat and the center seat, due to the position of the latch "bars", and the child's head is in between the center and outboard headrest, and is not protected by either headrest. this also means that neither the center seatbelt or outboard seatbelt fits across my child as it should - it is not across his shoulder. i took the car to our local vw and they told me to call volkswagen directly; when i did, i was put in touch with a member of the safety team who completely dismissed my concerns and told me that if my latch didn't seem to be in the correct positions, then i should just not use the latch. when i asked to speak to someone else that would take my concerns seriously (the child is not protected by the seatbelt or headrest when using the latch in the third row at all!!!), i was told there was no one else to speak to an that all the routans were made that way as a "convenience" for folding down the seats.

Reported in: MAHOMET IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X79R

SEATS

Reported in: MAHOMET IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X79R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

driving approximately 25mph when the one month old vehicle just suddenly felt like someone slammed on the brakes. the vehicle came to a halt. the motor was still running. i got in the car again to move it out of the way and the same thing occurred. immediately had it towed to the volkswagen dealership. there it stayed for 13 days. the following problems were repaired/replace: faulty transmission sensor, replaced sensor. also, abs steering angle sensor erratic performance. faulty steering angle sensor. replaced sensor.

Reported in: PALO ALTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X39R

STEERING

Reported in: PALO ALTO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X39R

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. while making a right turn at 10 mph the vehicle swerved to the right without effort. the anti-skid warning sensor illuminated on the instrument panel. after repeated brake application he was able to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection. the technician stated the failure was contributed to the steering angle sensor. no repairs were made because the part was unavailable. the failure and current mileages were 9,000. updated 12/7/09 *cn updated 12/08/09

Reported in: LEE'S SUMMIT MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM

heating/ventilation/air conditioning control panel is mounted low in the center dash area and is illuminated in blue, making it almost impossible to read in daylight. this causes the driver to take his/her eyes off the road when making adjustments to the settings and can result in a crash. the 2010 model of this vehicle uses white lighting, correcting the problem. 2009 models should be recalled for a retrofit.

Reported in: NORTHPORT ME || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

INTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: NORTHPORT ME || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

the rear tailgate of my 2009 volkswagen routan opened up automatically while the car was in gear and in motion which, according to the owner's manual, it should not do even if the power tailgate button is pressed. this happened while the car was being pulled into the garage which resulted in the rear windshield shattering upon contact with the garage door opening. the car was brought to the local volkswagen dealership the same day and nothing was found in the diagnostics that pointed to a failure of any sort. there were previous electrical issues experienced with the car not reported to the dealer, including with the tailgate, that were not as serious and that corrected themselves after shutting off and restarting the car.

Reported in: MARBLEHEAD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

Reported in: MARBLEHEAD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the electrical sliding door would not function correctly. the sensor failed and her childs fingers and part of his body were jammed in the door. the dealer advised there were no failures in the vehicle and when contacting the manufacturer, they confirmed there were no failures within the vehicle. the failure mileage was 1,000 and the current mileage was 11,000.

Reported in: LEEWOOD KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my wife and two daughters were driving in our 2009 routan today. my wife smelled smoke and noticed smoke emanating from our right side sliding door. my wife pulled off quickly into a gas station where the attendant extinguished the fire. the fire caused the window to explode; the interior of the vehicle was filled with smoke within minutes of exiting the car. fire crew came to inspect the vehicle. we have had issues with this sliding door not closing properly (electronically) and have asked the dealership to fix this issue with our right sliding door on two different occasions. upon investigation, i noticed a recall for 2009 routans issued on friday. my wife and daughters were very fortunate that they were able to pull off the road quickly, others may not be so fortunate. this recall needs to be taken seriously, and expedited! the vehicle is with the dealer. i will provide an update on how they corrected the issue.

Reported in: TAMPA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

besides the brakes/rotors now going on their 4th set and the car is less than 2 years old, the front bumper looks like it was about to fall off, many small other problems, this morning my son had his finger caught in the sliding door and the door did not open, it just kept trying to shut on him. this van is horrible! the door has acted up before, but never like this. the decals on the drivers door were coming off at one point and had to be replaced. the tail light already had to be replaced. water in the front light. just too many things for a new car.

Reported in: ST. CHARLES IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

Reported in: ST. CHARLES IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

Reported in: ST. CHARLES IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: ST. CHARLES IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i have had my volkswagen routan for about a year and a half. in that time the transmission has gone out twice now. the first time was at 6k miles and it was at the dealer for 2 months before it was fixed. there was every excuse in the book, first they didn't have a tech qualified to fix it so they had to wait on an out of state tech to come in. parts were backordered and when they came in the "fix" didn't work so they had to order a new transmission. now at 15k miles i started having more problems with the transmission and the rear power folding seat was broken. i reluctantly took it back to the dealer but was assured that they would be able to fix it in a short amount of time. that was a month ago, and it is still not fixed, they are waiting on parts to come in. volkswagen's customer care is no help, they say they are working on it but the only thing they have done so far is apologize.

Reported in: MILLERSBURG OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEATS

Reported in: MILLERSBURG OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2009 volkswagen routan. 1) normal vehicle, 22000 miles, put away in attached garage at night. bedrooms above garage. 2) before going to bed i checked to be sure garage door was closed. i found vehicle in garage running. 3) vehicle has remote start key. key should only activate pushing first door lock button and then remote start button twice. checking system i found only pushing remote start button will start the vehicle unlocked. this is a possible deadly incident as carbon monoxide would undoubtedly have killed my whole family as we slept had i not been thorough in checking the garage door. a child could push the bottom or it can be pushed inadvertently in a pocket or if something were set on it. i know this now we are safe but other people are bound to encounter this incident.

Reported in: GILBERT AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34109R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: GILBERT AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34109R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

my brakes and rotors have gone out twice in my brand new vw routan. once at 5,000 miles and again at 10,000 miles. it has had a ton of other problems and has been in the shop for weeks at a time. multiple recalls have been repaired at each service as well. entire vehicle shaking and brakes not working correctly both times. i am afraid to drive it with my baby in the car.

Reported in: ATASCADERO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34109R

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

on monday, october 4th, 2010, i pulled into my driveway and placed the 2009 volkswagen routan in park. the engine was still running while i finished up a phone call through the bluetooth and proceeded to listen to the radio while cleaning out the van. i walked around the exterior of the vehicle leaning in to clean the interior of the car. i needed to go inside the house, so, standing outside driver's side of the van i reached across the seat to turn off the engine and remove the keys. as soon as i did this, the van jolted backward and continued to travel down my driveway. my upper body was still inside the car. i tried to depress the emergency brake with my right hand while i held tightly onto the steering wheel with my left. i wasn't able to stop the car but i was able to turn the wheel so that the van crashed into a tree on my property, instead of going into the street. when the van hit the tree, the force threw me out of the vehicle and onto the driveway. i was taken to the hospital by my husband where the found that i had broken 2 ribs, sprained my left shoulder and sustained extensive soft tissue damage. i also suffered several cuts and scrapes and numerous bruises. at this point in time, nothing has been done to correct the failure.

Reported in: BLUE RIDGE VA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 2V8HW34139R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

excessive vibration during light/moderate braking- this has been noticeable at a very early mileage. after 16,000 miles the noise and vibration has become very annoying- the whole vehicle vibrates.

Reported in: YONKERS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

shaking brakes reported to dealership. rotor repaired under warranty, brakes repaired at our expense. <5000 miles later, same problem - dealership telling us to replace roters and brakes, again. ironically, the routan that the dealer used to shuttle me to and from the service station was shaking while braking...

Reported in: MONTICELLO MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X79R

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

tl*the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated when she locked the doors, the children were unable to exit from the inside. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 13,000. the vin was unavailable.

Reported in: LEXFORD NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

braking is inadequate and is likely to fail as brake rotors are warped after less than a 8,000 miles. warped rotors could affect abs system and lead to more accidents. vw has replaced rotors with same part number so problem repeats itself shortly after installation. vw needs to improve their brakes for this vehicle given the safety of the typical customer is usually a family of four or more. a recent search on google shows that many others have reported similar problems to vw who continues to simply replace the part with the same one. they need to take this seriously and engineer a better braking system for this vehicle or buy better quality braking components.

Reported in: MIAMI FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 2V8HW34119R

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

2009 vw routan, electric door failure. doors fail to stop, there's no sensor, closing on your hand or whatever. also randomly fail to close, close half way, re-open, open without warning. this is unsafe. we have two small dogs, if one of the dogs accidentally steps thru the door while it's closing, it will close on the dog. i would never have bought this car if i had known. i'm thinking of having the electric doors disengaged. read that other owners had door catch fire. i want to return this car.

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEATS

tl*the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. while the vehicle was parked with the key in the ignition, the rear door opened and would not close. the contact turned the vehicle off and restarted it; the door then closed. she stated that once a child's hands got caught in the rear door. the vehicle was taken to two authorized dealers seven times; once the dealer vacuumed the channels where the pulleys were located. the doors hesitated after but did not stay open. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for brake issues as the brakes were grinding and was informed that the rear drums and rotors needed to be replaced. the transmission hesitated and the seams were separating on the rear portion of the front seats. the vehicle had not been repaired. there were five recalls for the vehicle but the repairs had not been performed. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was approximately 5,000 and the current mileage was 26,000.

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

the rotors in my 2009 vw routan had to replaced after 3900 miles and now again at 9930 miles. the van shakes horribly when braking on the freeway or going downhill - usually associated with any speed over 40 miles an hour. the service at the dealership seemed aware that it was a continual problem. the rotors will always become warped, the van will shake, and we will have to take the van it to have to rotors adjusted - according to my records, roughly every 4000 miles. the van has 10040 miles on it and is 1 year old.

Reported in: PASADENA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

bad rear brakes / rotors. *ln

Reported in: ROSENBERG TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brakes started shaking at around 3,000 miles. when the brakes were applied the warped rotors caused a shimmy that was almost uncontrollable. the dealer turned the rotors and within 500 miles they exhibited the same problem again. the dealer then changed all four rotors. the vehicle now has 20,000 miles and is showing the same problem again.

Reported in: LAS VEGAS NV || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

premature rear brake failure. with 40k miles the rear caliper locked causing burning of the pads, and requiring complete replacement of all rear brake components.

Reported in: ORCHARD PARK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

while trying to check the tire pressure, the valve stems broke off on two of the tires (one in the front, one in the rear) causing the tires to deflate completely within 10 seconds. had this occurred while driving the vehicle, this incident would likely have rendered the vehicle uncontrollable with potentially serious consequences to the health and safety of passengers and others. the dealer will replace the valves but has advised me that this issue is not covered by warranty. since my vehicle is probably not the only one affected i will try to carry this to a higher level through my dealership.

Reported in: RESTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

WHEELS

Reported in: RESTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

tl*the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. while driving approximately 35 mph the front drivers side tire blew out. the contact removed the tire and replaced it with the spare tire. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technicians stated the tire sensor valve had corroded causing the tire to blow out. the technicians stated that the repair was not covered under warranty. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the valve was replaced with a rubber valve instead of the aluminum valve that was originally on the vehicle which had a sensor attached to it. the sensor was not replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 33,000.

Reported in: HAMERSVILLE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34119R

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

engine shutdown-resulting in loss of steering. during normal driving speed between 15-25 mph, engine shuts down (quits running) during turns (either direction) . male driver of vehicle is retired law enforcement , trained in emergency procedures, during failure it takes extreme effort to maintain physical control of vehicle to bring to a stop. vehicle will not restart when shifting to neutral while moving, ignition is on when failure occurs. vehicle can be restarted after stopping and placing in park. can reoccur without warning . vehicle has been at volkswagen dealership for a total of three weeks as of this report. first diagnosis is vehicle esc system (trouble code for faulty switch). no result. failed again. second trouble code indicates problem in dash assembly - waiting for parts expect another 6-10 days for repairs to start. additional. writers spouse lost control on 2/24 - into ditch lost a tire. further incidents of engine shutdown over a period of two weeks during which vehicle has been in dealership for analysis until this last 3 week period. again - during turns . the engine will shut off - no power with lost of steering control- in turns - living in west virginia - it is a serious safety problem.

Reported in: WEST UNION WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

STEERING

Reported in: WEST UNION WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i have experienced mechanical defects with the power sliding door feature on both sides of the 2009 vw routan se. the defect has been repaired a total of four times since its purchase, twice before the nhtsa safety recall on the power sliding doors and twice after the recall. the defective power sliding doors have unlatched and opened while driving the vehicle, even after the power locks activate. in addition, the sensors on the power sliding doors have failed to retract, resulting in hands being trapped. lastly, i have found the power sliding doors open upon return to the vehicle after closing and locking it. i have expressed my concerns to vw�s local service department and have contacted vw�s customer care department. i was informed that as long as this defect can be repaired they would not administer a refund or replacement. i am very concerned about the safety of this vehicle and feel it poses a risk to my two small children.

Reported in: HOLLY SPRINGS NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: HOLLY SPRINGS NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

vw routan 2009-the braking system after 6 weeks started to shake and at times i have come close to not coming to a full stop due to the violent vibration it caused. i am thinking that if i don't ease up on the brakes that something is going to explode. this continues even after requesting for the dealership to investigate. now at 18000 miles i am requiring to replace rotors and brakes. $$$. unfair. with all the recalls associated with this vehicle, i am tempted to trade in.. i use to love and trust the vw reputation:(( time to change!!

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34129R

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

power sliding doors can trap child or pets in their path.

Reported in: BROOMALL PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

power sliding doors can trap child or pets in their path.

Reported in: BROOMALL PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact was driving various speed and when pressure was applied to the brake pedal, there was a delayed response with an excessive vibration. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on five separate occasions who stated the brakes were not compatible for the vehicle weight capacity. the front and rear rotors were replaced five times. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 200.

Reported in: HOPATCONG NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34129R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my wife (and 8 month old son) were driving when the van suddenly shut off. my wife was driving approximately 55 mph. she was able to get the van off the road before the steering wheel locked up. she was able to restart the van. she was able to avoid a rear-end collision with a tractor-trailer that was behind her.

Reported in: ROCK HILL SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

bought the van in sept of 2009 with approximately 1000 miles. were told it was a demo vehicle for auto shows. had to bring it back within a couple of weeks for brake issues...pounding-pulsating when stopping. brake rotors and pads continually pulsate. problem is worse when stopping on the downhill or when brakes are heated or pressured. feel like we lose breaking ability when breaking on the downhill. we have brought the car in multiple times to have the situation corrected. under warrantee agreement, rotors have been replaced a couple of times, pads replaced several times at volkswagon's expense. problem continues to occur. last service (5/10/11) at volkswagon dealership, brakes were inspected and we were told numerous problems needed fixing including front and rear rotors resurfaced, pads, etc. but even though car was still under warrantee, they would not cover the repairs and we would have to pay for them. volkswagon has records of service to our van so know of the ongoing issue with the brakes from the time we purchased it. we have spoken to other owner who is experiencing same issue with her brakes. we feel that volkswagon needs to help solve this problem as obviously replacing rotors and pads does not solve the problem. we use this car to travel between homes in ct and fl and feel that this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. car was purchased from and serviced at volkswagon in and also serviced at in clearwater, fl. last service, when they refused to cover cost of repairs to brakes was at in fl. we have complete set of service records. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tt

Reported in: OLDSMAR FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

the 09 vw routan has needed brakes and rotors replaced every 9 months. to date vw has covered the cost of replacement under warranty however have yet to make a recall on these parts.

Reported in: CEDAR GROVE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW341X9R

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

was traveling approximately 65 mph on i-90 in nys. dashboard indicated there was an issue with the tire pressure. pulled to the side of the road, checked pressure. tires seemed fine. drove approximately 4 miles and the tire went completely flat almost instantaneously. luckily i was in a spot that i could pull over. placed spare "doughnut" on van and drove directly to dunn tire. dunn tire professional indicated that the tps was corroded, fell off and popped the tire. the three other tps on the other tires were also examined. the tire professional indicated that they were corroded as well.

Reported in: FAYETTEVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44129R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

engine shut off while driving, steering column locked and power braking lost. lighting and radio were still on. was barely able to vehicle to a stop by pushing extremely hard on the brake, brakes were very unresponsive. once stopped, was able to turn ignition off and restart vehicle.

Reported in: LAKEVILLE MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X29R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

our routan has "started itself" multiple times. in each instance, without intentionally starting the ignition (keys were in purse/handbag untouched by human hands), we have found the vehicle on and idling. most recently, we happened (fortuitously) to find the vehicle running in our enclosed garage. the garage is attached to our home and we felt, given the potential for accidental death if not discovered in a timely fashion, we needed to alert authorities of the (either) design flaw or electrical system malfunction. while electrical system malfunction is certainly a strong possibility (we have had multiple problems with it in this vehicle), even if the remote ignition key were "functional" we feel the lack of barriers to accidentally starting the vehicle is extremely dangerous. for instance, if the keys are in a purse and simply moving the purse is enough to start the vehicle, even though the key "worked", it is far too easy to accidentally start the vehicle. this is what has occurred in each instance (keys in a purse, no hands directly touching the keys). a safer design might involve a code to be punched in vs simply pressing one button. given that many families keep their vehicle in an attached, enclosed garage, accidentally running the vehicle could be deadly if carbon monoxide were to build up and enter the home.

Reported in: LOS ALTOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the front brake rotors were warped. while depressing the brakes to a stop, the vehicle would shimmer before stopping. the vehicle was taken to the dealer previously who replaced the brake pads and rotors under warranty. the manufacturer was not notified of the recent failure. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 26,000.

Reported in: LANCASTER PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brake rotors warp very quickly on this vehicle (which is also made by chrysler). during heavy braking at 40mph the steering wheel vibrates very heavily due to warped brake rotors (happens under 12000miles). don't see how antilock sensors can withstand this vibration and get an accurate reading to keep the vehicle from locking the wheels. i have already had incidents where applying the brakes at 40mph hour that i have skidded but was smart enough to let off once i realized the abs was not functioning correctly and re-applied the brakes.vw and dealer acknowledge the problem and replace the rotors with the same defective rotors on the vehicle. this is an engineering problem and not a wear and tear issue as they claim. it will only be a matter of time before someone gets killed in a bad accident thinking that abs brakes and there braking system is reliable. high speed braking is not something you do everyday but in an emergency and that's when you realize that your brakes are warped and in need of repair!!! but it might be too late!!!

Reported in: PORT READING NJ || Crash: N || VIN #:

WHEELS

two tires have blown out on my routan due to corroded valve stems. the first time, on 3/16/11, i had just pulled into a parking lot when i heard a loud noise and felt my tire go flat. belle tire told me that the valve stem had corroded and popped off, essentially blowing out my tire. stupidly, i didn't think anything of it. the second time happened on 12/31/11. my 19-year-old daughter was driving the routan on an expressway where the speed limit is 70 mph.. she said she heard a loud noise, and then the car started veering. she managed to keep control of the routan and get it over to the side of the road, where the tire was flat and shredded. again, belle tire told us that the valve stem had corroded and fell off, blowing out the tire. a third valve stem and nut on the routan is cracked and corroded. they also told us that general motors and ford have switched to rubber valve stems because of this problem. contacted vw. they looked at the car. the will not fix the problem. this car is an accident waiting to happen.

Reported in: SHELBY TOWNSHIP MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34169R

TIRES:VALVE

Reported in: SHELBY TOWNSHIP MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34169R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

after less than 1 year of driving the van, i noticed shaking while braking. i thought it was just bad braking habits. last year, i rode an american version of this van (chrysler or dodge), there was the same problem. i sent it to the dealership today and found out that rear rotors were bad. i checked the internet and there were similar problems. i asked them to repair it hopefully, they will replace with better parts. i think the brakes were not designed for the v8 engine.

Reported in: EWA BEACH HI || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

during the first month of purchase of my 2009 vw routan i experienced problems with the rear sliding doors. at first it was getting them to open an close an went to the point of the door trying to open while car was in motion. i have had the car in for multiple problems like i have gone through 26qrts of oil in the last 9 months an they have supposedly fixed it 4 times now . the rear sliding doors are a whole other issue, i have had the car in for this issue atleast 12-15 times an 5-6 of those times was during the first year of ownership. my most recent time of having it in the vw service dept was about 6 wks ago an nothing was resolved after it being there for a week. i did not know of the lemon law or i would have talked to a lawyer then. there has to be something that someone can do to help consumers with this vehicle. i cant keep worrying about the door opening while my children are in the car an i am driving the dealership an vw customer care have been made well aware of the issues an have done nothing but tell me to bring it to the service dept where nothing is done.

Reported in: ALSIP IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: ALSIP IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

STRUCTURE:BODY

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. while attempting to close the rear passenger side door, the contact noticed that the door would immediately reopen after being closed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the door chain and an unspecified electrical component was replaced. however the contact continued to experience the failure. the failure mileage was 150 and the current mileage was 30,000.

Reported in: ALSIP IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

WHEELS

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated the tire pressure monitor failed due to corrosion. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated the failure was caused by the tps system valve stem nut which was corroded. the contact also stated that the drivers rear tire blew out due to the nut corrosion. the vehicle was repaired. the tire pressure valves were replaced. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 74,000.

Reported in: CONCOARD TOWNSHIP OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

SERVICE BRAKES

we bought this vehicle in april of 2009 based on all of the "safety features" and as it turns out has been one of the most unsafe vehicle i have ever owned. since purchase we have had the rotors cut 2x and replaced once due to violent shaking in front end when braking at any speed. the first time we were told this was due to the vehicles sitting in the rain for a period of time . what ??? that may be the most aggravating of all which is that vw would rather assume you are stupid enough to believe that. another issue has been that the head unit (dvd player & backup cam) have had issues from day 1 such as the unit switching from dvd to radio on its own. at times the dvd screens go blank which requires you to shut down the system and start it up again and the backup cam will not go off once the vehicle is put in drive. this problem was then referred to vw for them to tell me that they found no issues and that i should bring the vehicle in when it happens, which i did to no avail. my final complaint is the "worry free" maintenance. i have always changed oil religiously in any vehicle i have ever owned every 3000 miles unless i used synthetic which i would change before 5000 miles. vw has told us to come in for service every 6000 miles which i had claimed to be wrong and it should be changed every 3000. again i was treated as if i am stupid and vw's somehow can go longer in between oil changes using conventional oil. needless to say i now have a 2009 vw routan that has just over 28000 miles, is out of warranty , as 36 months has passed since purchase, and has a check engine light that continues to go on and off and although the oil now gets changed every 3000 miles at my expense i have to continuously add oil every 500 or so miles. does any of this seem to be the result of negligence on the part of vw?

Reported in: WEST KEANSBURG NJ || Crash: N || VIN #:

WHEELS

while driving on the i-94 in sheboygan, wi, my tire pressure light went on. i stopped at a valvoline tire and lube to have the tires looked at as my rear tire was almost flat. the person was unable to fill the tire with air because the valve stem was pushed completely into the tire and there was no way to fill the tire. at closer inspection all four tire valve stems and sensor assemblies were corroded to the point that they would all need to be replaced immediately. vw stated that this is not a warranty or recall issue and that it would cost over $200 each with labor. i was told by the technician that if the stem would have completely broke while driving down the road it would have lost pressure right away and could have cause an accident. *tt

Reported in: EAGLE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

WHEELS

in january of 2012 we started to notice a noise coming from the wheels of our vehicle. we at first thought it might be a chunk of snow caught in the wheel well but when we arrived home there was nothing there. over the next couple of days the noise got significantly louder to be point you could not even hear the radio when it was turned on. i took it to a local shop where i was told both my front wheel bearings were bad and would need to be replace the rear wheel bearings would need to be replace soon also as they were going back as well. the technician was going to check with vw on an extended warranty of the assembly as they are the same ones that were given an extended warranty by the chrysler group because of poor makeup. vw stated that they are aware of the issue but is not honoring the same extended warranty. the letter on fill from chrysler is csc-10037659-4297. this is a youtube video that i found with the same issue as my vehicle; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqrsfmlkmre *tt

Reported in: EAGLE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

SERVICE BRAKES

problem with the car: start vibrating when brakes are applied, then start shaking. i have take the car to 2 different dealers (4 different times) since june 2011. first time dealer replace brake pads and rotors. second time dealer service rep told "that nothing is wrong with it". third they said "that's normal wear and tear" submitted a complaint through corporate. a lady from corporate called me back and told me the same thing the dealer told me. she also stated that will forward the compliant to the dealer manager. fourth time: i took it to a different dealer. i asked her "does anybody call chrysler and ask for guidance or see if they have any brake problems with their cars. by the way this vw is made by chrysler. fourth time: i took it to a different dealer. this dealer called me (phillips) and told that the first time the other dealer fix it, that was it. he keep on saying "that was a one time deal, if you want it fix you have to come up with over $350.00. i told him that he was not right because the car still under warranty. i received the car back and the service ticket said " the rotors were resurfaced as a goodwill for customer satisfaction. i drove the car this morning and is doing the samething. i cannot afford for the brakes to fail and have a crash for the dealer to look pass the brake pads and rotors.

Reported in: NORTH CHARLESTON SC || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

van was traveling 65mph on interstate when the car switched from on to accessory mode. vw service indicated that the incident was caused by a faulty win (wireless ignition node module). when the car switched to accessory mode, i lost power to the engine and i had no anti-lock brakes or power steering. i was able to coast the van to the side of the road without an accident. this exact issue has been reported in several 2009 routans and was already subject to a recall for the 2010 routan's. it also impacts the grand caravans and town & country's, which share a platform with the routan. given the high likelihood that this sudden engine shutoff can lead to an accident, i am surprised that volkswagen has not been required to expand the win module recall to include the 2009 models. i am also extremely frustrated with volkswagen's response, which was to disclaim any legal responsibility for repair (since it was outside of the warranty period). this is a known defect and should be addressed accordingly.

Reported in: KENT OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34139R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

took 2009 vw routan to local dealership in 2010 due to safety recall on sliding doors (faulty wire harness). passenger side door was fitted with tie wrap. driver side door was inspected but no work was performed. this week, door stopped working on driver's side. took it to the dealer on wednesday and was told it would cost $383 to repair wire harness. called vw customer care to explain problem. was told that case would be started. waiting to hear about solution. vehicle was supposed to be finished on thursday. now being told it will be monday. we were given a loaner vehicle for the weekend.

Reported in: CLEMMONS NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34169R

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: CLEMMONS NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34169R

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

10/7/12: entering onto road, began acceleration up to 20/25 mph -then all power, controls dead. lost power steering and coasted into parking lot. shut car down, flooded/pumped accelerator pedal. difficulty starting but worked, drove like normal, again. 10/14/12: turning from sidestreet, on to main street -going 20 mph. lost all power again-manually turned coasted car into left middle turning lane. re-started, operated normal.

Reported in: TROY MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

ENGINE

Reported in: TROY MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: TROY MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

STRUCTURE:BODY

we have had a problem with our volkswagen routan since nearly day one. while parked on any type of surface, (hill, or flat, down hill, or up hill). on occasion the door while opening or closing will re-close or not open. this has been very dangerous when you have a 4 year old get in the door before door has come to complete rest. the child gets in as the door opens, and the door closes back on him as it couldn't open properly. we have had it checked by vw on several occasions but was not resolved. there is something seriously wrong with these doors.

Reported in: BARDONIA NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

ENGINE

notice oil light coming on between oil change....filled oil to proper level...i took car in for service today (1/7/13) was told by dealership the gasket will need replace, that was the reason for oil usage. i just had my vehicle in to fix the sliding door (tsb recall not honored) in october and in was inspected with no problems. doing research on internet and finding the oil, door is a common problem in vw routan ( also talked to another owner was in for same problem, stated has been given runaround since day one about problems with his routan).

Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

WHEELS

while putting air in my tires, the valve stem broke off of the tire while trying to remove the cap off of the stem and the tire deflated almost instantly. after looking at the broken valve stem, it appears like the cap and stem became corroded and was completely welded together. i still have this cap that broke off if it is needed for an investigation.

Reported in: ELDORADO OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34189R

TIRES:VALVE

Reported in: ELDORADO OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34189R

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

while driving at various speed the car suddenly shuts off and loses power steering. this has occurred 4 times now and is extremely dangerous. car can only be restarted when at a complete stop and placed back in park.

Reported in: CARY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ENGINE

Reported in: CARY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CARY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

SERVICE BRAKES

our routan was only going about 20 mph after pulling out of parking places and turning in to main roads the power steering, brakes, gas all stop working the car becomes impossible to turn the wheel the brakes and gas both do not work and you have to coast to a stop once stopped you have put the van in park turn key off and restart the engine. this has now happened twice in a 2 week time frame extremely concerned with two young children in the back both in car seats. what happens if i am on a freeway and this happens at 60-70mph?

Reported in: CONVERSE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

STEERING

Reported in: CONVERSE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CONVERSE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated to 85 mph. the contact depressed the brakes continually until the vehicle came to a stop. the brake warning light was also illuminated. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 34,000.

Reported in: OXFORD MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

when i purchased the car they checked the oil and i saw it was clean and full. after a week my wife told me the oil light came on. i checked the oil and their were no oil on the dip stick. i filled the oil to the correct spot on the dipstick. a week later i check the oil and again there were no oil on the dipstick. so i call the dealer and they sent me to sears who could not find a leak and they changed the oil. i checked the oil the following week and again there were no oil on the dipstick. so i call the dealer again and they sent me to another mechanic who could not find a leak. i'm now checking and adding oil weekly.

Reported in: NORTH PORT FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

WHEELS

recently i noticed a low tire pressure on the left front wheel of my volkswagen routan. when i attempted to add air to the tire, the stem pushed into the wheel and the tire deflated. the metal tire pressure stem is attached to tire pressure sensing units on each wheel. when i examined the stem i noticed that the nut that locks the stem in position had disintegrated from corrosion. the only thing holding the stem in position was the pressure within the tire. when the stem was touched and moved, the tire immediately deflated. i found the same defect on the other wheels. any contact with the tire pressure servicing stem, caused the retaining nut to break off into pieces. each stem and retaining nut showed signs of severe corrosion. due to the extreme high cost of replacement sensors, i was forced to replace the sensors with standard rubber tire stems. the vehicle is a 2009 with only 36,000 miles. the vehicle is exposed to road salt and i�m sure that accelerated the corrosion of the attaching nut, but this is a serious design flaw that might result in a tire deflation without warning. i feel these sensors are defective and need to be recalled. this is a single vehicle with low mileage, having four severely corroded and failed tire pressure sensors. i suspect there are many others. these faulty sensors could very well be the cause of a serious accident or injury. it seems to be a known issue with the car dealer but i don�t believe there is any specific inspection or service requirements for these valves/sensors. the parts are marked with the following identification numbers: daimler chrysler 56053031ad #0193ht-2 siemens vdo i have saved the failed parts and i will provide them if required.

Reported in: GROTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34129R

WHEELS

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the front driver's side tire went flat. the contact installed the spare tire and took the tire to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the contact was informed that the valve stem had become extremely corroded. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the failure and current mileage was 52,000.

Reported in: WAYNE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X29R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

completely lost control of the vehicle (no power, no power steering) while driving 45mph on a 7 lane major street. thankfully it was in the early morning hours and i was able to glide across the intersection to a side street where i turned the vehicle off and on and it resumed power. this has happened at least 4 more times since then, usually while idling at a red light.

Reported in: MOUNTAIN VIEW CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

STEERING

Reported in: MOUNTAIN VIEW CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i was driving approx 65 mph on a highway. without a warning (no check engine light, no battery light, etc) my engine turned off while still cruising at 65 mph. the vehicle still had momentum, but no power steering to safely pull the vehicle over. i had to wait for the road to turn, so i can position the vehicle to stop on the shoulder of the vehicle. i almost crashed into other vehicles, because i had no control of the car other than braking in the middle lane of a highway. towed vehicle dealer found a blown engine fuse. they replaced the engine fuse. two hours later, same scenario and same issue came back. towed back to the dealer, and they believe its a grounding wire. please investigate this issue. could potentially translate into major accident or death.

Reported in: ROCHESTER MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

Reported in: ROCHESTER MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

where to begin with this car. all 4 valve stems needed to be replaced. i was losing pressure in my tires, and mechanic said they were corroded. then my tiptronics did not work, also when you shifted in to gear, it didn't want to move. had the whole shifting lever component replaced. lots of trouble with the doors not opening right, then when closing the sensor doesn't always work. almost had my kids get caught in the door. if the car is even on the slightest slope the door won't close. while driving down the road at 55mph the car just shut off. no power steering! very dangerous. i had to rent a car to go on vacation, i didn't feel safe enough to drive on the interstate with it. happened may times. they couldn't find anything wrong with it. now i think the transmission is going. i am so frustrated with this car!

Reported in: SHOREHAM VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SHOREHAM VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

Reported in: SHOREHAM VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

while driving on 4 different occasions over the last week the engine shuts off without warning. once while turning left across traffic. the van stopped right in the middle of the turn and was started just in time and started moving as oncoming car also swerved to avoid my car stalled right in front of them. dealer has no idea what is causing the problem and can only guess that the win module needs to be replaced. there is a recall on the win module for 2010, but not for 2009.

Reported in: SAUNDERSTOWN RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X19R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was able to safely move to the shoulder and restart the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 54,000.

Reported in: HILLARD OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34169R

SERVICE BRAKES

since purchasing the vehicle as a new car in october of 2009 we have experienced intermittent but chronically recurring issues with violent shaking during braking on our 2009 vw routan. to work the problem the rear brake rotors and pads were replaced by the oem three months after purchasing the vehicle. the problem persisted & after repeated visits to the dealer the front brakes and rotors were replaced by the oem at 15,019 miles on october 27, 2010. vibration during breaking still persisted at highway speeds but was manageable. in july of 2013 heavy vibration returned. the dealer informed us all four tires had uneven wear and would need to be replaced, along with all 4 air pressure gauges. shaking continued so we then paid to have the front rotors and brake pads replaced again at 47,300 miles (appx) on august 6, 2013. as of now the vehicle still vibrates at highway speed braking although less violently. we believe several issues are at play possibly: - inferior or defective brake rotors, both factory installed and oem replacement rotors - chronic stability issue at highway speeds - uneven wear on tires which contributed to more rapid wear and tear - near simultaneous failure of all 4 air pressure gauges before 50,000 miles. we have kept the replaced tire pressure gauges, brake rotors and pads if nhtsa would like to examine.

Reported in: ANNANDALE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X99R

SUSPENSION

Reported in: ANNANDALE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X99R

WHEELS

beginning on 2/09/2012 through 8/19/2013 there have been (3) incidents on this vin of at least (1) wheel causing a severe vibration while driving. upon inspection, the first (2) incidents revealed that the right front wheel had its lug nuts loosening while the other (3) wheels nut nuts were all tight and torqued to specs. on the last incident on 8/19/2013 (3) of the (5) right front wheel studs broke off causing severe vibration in the vehicle. vehicle became inoperable and required a tow to the dealer.

Reported in: MAPLEWOOD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: MAPLEWOOD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

SUSPENSION

Reported in: MAPLEWOOD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

SERVICE BRAKES

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while traveling approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was moved to the shoulder where it was restarted. the vehicle resumed normal function. the contact also mentioned that the brakes had to be replaced often. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be diagnosed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

Reported in: DANVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

ENGINE

Reported in: DANVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my son got in his seat in the van and i got in drivers seat i pushed power door button on ceiling and heard door closing i thought it closed all the way but had power failure and stopped halfway. i started van and started to go, there was no alarm or anything to inform me his door was still half open. luckily my son is 5 and told me his door was open so i stopped and button did nothing i got out and button on inside of his door did nothing i than manually closed door. this is very unsafe if a child wasn't buckled or unbuckled themselves they could fall out.

Reported in: SHEBOYGAN WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: SHEBOYGAN WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where the contact was informed that the wireless ignition node receiver needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the incident. the approximate failure mileage was 61000.

Reported in: WALL TOWNSHIP NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ENGINE

vehicle engine will turn itself off and lose power while driving down the road. able to pull the car off the road and immediately restart the engine. it causes a loss of power steering, power brakes, etc. this has happened multiple times and whenever taken to dealer for diagnosis the issue can not be duplicated. usually happens when the car is cold, but yesterday it happened after we had been driving for a couple of hours. you can watch the rpm's drop every now and then and sometimes it will catch it and keep the motor running, but sometimes not.

Reported in: TACOMA WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician stated that the failure could not be duplicated. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 11,046.

Reported in: MOUNTAIN VIEW CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

SERVICE BRAKES

the steering wheel shakes and vibrates when braking at over 30 mph. had brakes service 3 times and the problem still persists. there must a defect in the brake component . other owners have similar problems .they should have a recall or something before somebody dies.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X09R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and restarted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the wind module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was not available.

Reported in: OVIDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

TIRES:VALVE

the valve stem broke off when i went to put air in it and the tire (front driver side) immediately deflated. the valve stem is metal and apparently corroded. about a month later the rear driver side began to leak and had to be replaced. then today (3/4/14) the valve stem broke off the passenger front tire when i went to unscrew the cap (i could hear air hissing out before i even touched it). if this had happened while driving, i could have had a serious accident.

Reported in: GRAND RAPIDS MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

WHEELS

Reported in: GRAND RAPIDS MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

van on multiple occasions will not start. when you turn the key you just get a click... this has been going on for 5 months (the whole time i have had this van) some days you try to start it, it wont start. then you try again and it may start. yesterday the van had to be trailered to a dealership...because yet again it will not start. not the battery or alternator. we beleive it is a faulty ignition switch.

Reported in: FITHIAN IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

sliding door locks making very loud vibrating noise when locked and fit the description of recall 10v252000 by vw for 2009 routans made in windsor canada during the second half of 2008. says that car could catch fire but vw saus that my vin is not included some how.

Reported in: CHUGIAK AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44189R

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Reported in: CHUGIAK AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44189R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CHUGIAK AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44189R

ENGINE

while driving at 35 mph the engine including electricity and power steering shuts off completely. had to pull over and put it in park to restart the car. this has happened numerous times. i told the dealer that i read about the recall on the year after model that they fixed their car (changed win module) free of charge. he said my car is not included in the recall. when does it become a recall? this is a safety issue.

Reported in: ELIZABETHTOWN PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X39R

ENGINE

we have a 2009 vw routan sel that has stalled multiple times now (4-5) while driving. there is no warning and car loses power. car starts up immediately after putting in park and restarting. this seems to be common problem and there is a recall for the 2010 model as well as the chrysler minivan which this car is based from.

Reported in: CANTON MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CANTON MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

WHEELS

i have a volkswagen 2009 vw routon van...aka rebadged chrysler mini van. the oem tpms has a non-anodized aluminum valve retaining nut which cracked and caused a deflation at highway speed on the front driver side tire. to have a safety device that causes an unsafe condition and a catastrophic failure that could lead to injury or death is unacceptable. i have inspected the other three retaining nuts on the valve stems and found one that is cracked and the the others have severe corrosion that will need repaired and replaced. a rubber and brass valve stem that was true and tried and "safe" for so many years was the accepted norm to be replaced when you put new tires on a vehicle. i now find myself asking, have engineers ignored and forgotten the principles of corrosion and the environment has on aluminum metals to make such a tire pressure monitoring system, that is set up to fail?

Reported in: LAKEWOOD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X69R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the vehicle has a new battery which is correctly installed and free of corrosion. when the key fob is placed into the ignition and moved forward, the vehicle will not start. the dash lights come on, and it should start, but it does not. if you keep trying, or walk away and come back after a few minutes and try again, it does sometimes start. this intermittent problem seams to have no rhyme or reason and i am concerned the vehicle might stop while my wife or i drive it. this generally happens 4 to 5 times a month. any help would be appreciated.

Reported in: TULSA OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

ENGINE

Reported in: TULSA OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving various speeds, the steering wheel became stiff as the vehicle stalled. the traction warning light illuminated after the failure. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 74,000.

Reported in: RALEIGH NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X69R

STRUCTURE:BODY

power sliding doors actuate on own, without warning, both open and close with no regard to humans or object in the path. door handles chrome delamination causing severe cuts. power third row seating motor/frame failure causing seats mounting points to be unsecure. dealer and vw of america unwilling to correct safety issues without large financial compensation.

Reported in: BAKERSFIELD CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: BAKERSFIELD CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

SEATS

Reported in: BAKERSFIELD CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ENGINE

the car suddenly shuts down loosing all electrical power. it looses all power steering and braking ability.it has done this several times at various speeds. i have to completely turn off the car and start it all over again. this has been very dangerous.

Reported in: MINNEAPOLIS MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: MINNEAPOLIS MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X59R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

dealer says the win module needs to be replaced, but it could be a bus wiring issue. dash warning lights, tachometer, speedometer and airbag lights continually turn off and on. when this happens, the windshield wipers also turn on and off. safety issue because i cannot see how fast we are going, turn signals won't work and i dont think the airbags are on at this time as well. for a video of the issue, please see this youtube link. another routan driver reported the same issue in this link - http://youtu.be/otntkk0kx5y. this is definitely a mfg defect because it happened 1 year ago and the dealer said it was a wiring fix.

Reported in: PHOENIX AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X09R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my electrical system went out on my minivan and i was not notified that it had a recall on it. my van will not start. i have 2 children that i have to get around to school and sport activities, doctors appoinments, ect. i have so much trouble with this van since i bought it. with all the recalls, computer failure and the coolant leak into the inside of the van, the interior coming down, and now the electrical system failing now. i have no car to get me kids anyway now. please help me.

Reported in: VERNON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW341X9R

ENGINE

Reported in: VERNON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW341X9R

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled multiple times. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who was not able to replicate nor diagnose the failure multiple times. the authorized dealer replaced the starter and hose but the failure still recurred. the vehicle continued to stall intermittently. the contact had to put the vehicle in neutral and then park to get the vehicle to start. the vehicle was taken to a volkswagen specialist who diagnosed that the egr valve needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the failure recurred. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v151000 (electrical system). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

Reported in: MOCKSVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: MOCKSVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X49R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the vehicle would stall. the vehicle was able to restart and operated as normal. the vehicle taken to the dealer multiple times but the failure could not be diagnosed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 50,000.

Reported in: CARLISLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X09R

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

i've had the vw routan since 2010 - purchased it with 6,000 miles on it. it's a sel so it's auto-everything. in the past 12-16 months both the left and right passenger auto doors stopped working due to a wiring issue. (2 seperate incidents; $300 each repair). today, my left passenger auto door stopped working again. the vehicle sees normal usage and has not been in an accident.

Reported in: BEXLEY OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X59R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the engine would stall. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the win module was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

Reported in: CEDAR TOWN GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

ENGINE

while driving, engine shut off like the ignition was turned off - lost power steering and brakes. this has happened multiple times since incident date. volkswagen service could not diagnose the problem.

Reported in: ROSEVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: ROSEVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

your site wouldn't allow pull-down for affected parts earlier, here is part of the e-mail report i first sent dealer 5/6/14: " ..something new is a problem w/my routan but i want to check in prior to making an appt. since we so recently had it in for diagnostic check up. here'��s what'��s happening it'��s very scary: 6 times now over the last 2 weeks it'��s just conked-out/shut off while i¿�m driving, leaving me with no steering, brakes or anything! fortunately it'��s happened in low traffic areas on fairly straight roads so i¿�ve been able to coast to the side, but i¿�m getting scared to drive my van. yesterday- it conked out three times...bringing kids home from school-- again very scary, and once on a turn which was difficult but luckily no one was behind me... these events... all happened at low speed 15-30 mph and happen so ��quietly i can barely tell it¿�s happened... it¿�s like the key/ignition somehow flicks all by itself into the acc position. then i have to wait ¿�til the van stops, turn the key and van all the way off and re-start. then it seems to start up fine. but this happened three times just yesterday p.m.... it'��s dangerous, and i¿�m getting more and more scared to drive my van, but i have to with four kids and activities." today 6/30/14 (again) dealer found no problem. cost to replace switch $989.00. i researched delphi, china, austin martin and fully believe a commonality with gm recall exists. the routan is a vw & chrysler complicating my research. i've followed hierarchy- dealer, vw, now nhtsa but hit a road block(no pun). please investigate this asap. update 6/30- gm recalled 8m more as "unintended key ignition rotation"- exactly what's happening with my routan. i tried submitting this complaint earlier- but your website wouldn't allow. so this is not someone jumping on the bandwagon. this is real, please help.

Reported in: DARNESTOWN MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

ENGINE

at least twice per month when i drive my van, the steering will suddenly go out, then the brakes will stop working, then it will just shut off. so far it has only happened when i was driving at pretty low rates of speed. i've called the vw dealership several times and each time they say that they haven't heard of anything like this before and want to charge me a fortune just to look at it. with the newest recall, i cannot understand why my vehicle is not included and the dealership still claims that they have no clue what i'm taking about when all these vehicle were made bu the same manufacturer. this has happened so many times, i can feel it in the steering right before it happens. as soon as my steering starts to get tight, i have to hit the brakes right away before they go out, and turn the car off. usually when i restart the car, it's fine. this is getting ridiculous and i should have to go through this with a vehicle when there is a proper fix. i have 4 children and another on the way and this is not safe.

Reported in: AMELIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: AMELIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

STEERING

Reported in: AMELIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the brake rotors failed every 8,000 miles. the vehicle was taken toa dealer where the failure was unable to be duplicated. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 58,329.

Reported in: WOODSTOCK VALLEY CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34109R

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: WOODSTOCK VALLEY CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34109R

ENGINE

i have been experiencing the engine dying suddenly while i am driving. there is no warning or engine lights. everything turns off including the power steering. this is terrifying. i took my vehicle to the dealer, i have an extended warranty. after keeping it two days, they claim that nothing is wrong with the car. i tried to explain the danger involved in my car suddenly losing power but the dealer states there is nothing they can do about it.

Reported in: LAS VEGAS NV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X69R

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: LAS VEGAS NV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X69R

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the failure occurred on numerous occasions.. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 44,000.

Reported in: SAN BRUNO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34139R

ENGINE

my 2009 routan 3.8l will intermit not start / i get check engine light and electricial ligthing bolt. about 3 years ago it started and i was told it was my battery. replaced my battery it was good for about 1yr then it started again had the battery replaced again then about 1yr later it started again but my battery is tested good. i went through 2 batteries in about 3 yrs. i even had my starter checked and it tested good. my friend who is a machanic said why is the starter next to the exchaust manafold it is getting hot. when i have issue in the last year it take about 30min or longer before it starts then i might not have any issues for about 1 or 2 weeks and sometime i might have the issues 2 times in one day. i have checked online and i am seeing many people are complaining about the 2009 vw routan intermit not starting. i have call vw and my van is not on the list for the ignition switch recall. today 8/5/2014 my routan i will not start at all i am gonig to have the battery checked.

Reported in: LAS VEGAS NV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: LAS VEGAS NV || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34179R

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

i was accelerating from a red light when the hose from the cooling system exploded. my van lurched forward and died. i had purchased an extended warranty but was told they would not cover it. i had to pay over $600 to get the hose fixed. this is just the beginning of many problems.

Reported in: VICTOEVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the ignition would not shut off and the key gets stuck. have to play with it several times to get it to shut off. the dealer replaced the ignition as well as other items in the steering column.

Reported in: VICTORVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

our 2009 vw routan completely shuts down while driving 3 times now. not only does it shut down, but the steering and brakes lock as well. on the last occurence, my wife (with our children in the car) came very close to hitting a parked car in the street. we have taken it to 2 vw dealers so far in charlotte, nc and they state: "we cannot duplicate the issue." unfortunately, that is not the right answer when you have something as dangerous as this happening to our family car. we have called vw corporate to help 2nd dealership with a resolution, but nothing has been fixed at this time. we are not sure what do at this point, and seems like both vw and vw dealerships are aware of issue, but no one wants to touch it! please help!

Reported in: CHARLOTTE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

ENGINE

Reported in: CHARLOTTE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

STEERING

Reported in: CHARLOTTE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54XX9R

SERVICE BRAKES

shortly after buying this van the van would shake when brakes were engaged, took it to the dealership but they said nothing was wrong with the brakes. i took it to another place for verification and was told my brakes were bad, the rotors were warped. went back to dealer and told mgr about the second opinion so he had the brakes replaced.

Reported in: VICTORVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW34199R

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled as the traction control warning light illuminated. the failure occurred on two occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 41,300.

Reported in: OAKLAWN IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X89R

ENGINE

Reported in: OAKLAWN IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X89R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the doors failed to unlock from the outside of the vehicle. the contact had to utilize the manual lock that was located inside the driver side door handle in order to unlock the doors. the failure occurred on numerous occasions. the dealer stated that the key fob and module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Reported in: MORRESZILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Reported in: MORRESZILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64XX9R

ENGINE

the engine turned to off while i was driving and depowered power steering and brakes. at that point i restarted the car and was able to drive. took the car immediately to vw dealer, kept the car for 24 hours, and they could not replicate the incident so nothing was done by them. this happened again at 93000 miles on august 8, 2014.

Reported in: JACKSONVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X29R

STEERING

Reported in: JACKSONVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X29R

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: JACKSONVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW64X29R

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

passenger side power sliding door wire harness keeps coming out of place and getting caught in door. local dealer claims this has already been repaired under the recall but it is still happening.

Reported in: WASHINGTON DC || Crash: N || VIN #: 2v8hw34139r

STEERING

when the vehicle is traveling near 30mph or even higher than that, when the brakes are applied, it shakes violently. this causes the driver to have to hold the steering wheel very tightly to avoid loosing control. the breaking system in general seems to be faulty as the brakes and rotors have had to be replaced/changed every two to three months. it is very expensive to replace these brakes and rotors as well as pay for the labor every few months. this is a great concern and should be considered for a recall.

Reported in: MILWAUKEE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44189R

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: MILWAUKEE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44189R

ENGINE

while entering freeway loud noise then all indicator lights came on. vehicle quit running in traffic. coasted off roadway. inspected engine and spacer between engine block and oil pan was crated.engine seized and internal parts cracked block. engine had new piston rings and valve seals installed at 68000 miles by dealer for oil consumption issues. oil consumption issue was never resolved.

Reported in: RICHFIELD WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW44119R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl-the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v396000 (electrical). however, the part to do the repair was unavailable to do the repair. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. ne

Reported in: HERRIMAN UT || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X79R

SERVICE BRAKES

tl - the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the contact stated that the emergency brake warning light illuminated that it was locked. the contact mentioned that the vehicle would pull to the right and resulted in crashing into a parked vehicle. there were no injuries. there was a police report. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the vehicle was repaired. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 850. bt

Reported in: NORTH PLAINFIELD NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 2V8HW34159R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl - the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. the vehicle vin number was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v396000 the contact stated when driving the vehicle would lose power and shut off. the contact contacted the dealer and was told that the parts were not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and the contact was told not to drive the vehicle because the parts were not available. bt

Reported in: LOUISVILL KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 2V8HW54X89R

STEERING

my wife took our 2009 vw routan minivan to a vw dealership today to repair inoperable electronic door locks and faulty headlights (seperate complain filed), at which time she was informed of an ignition problem recall. the ignition part was placed on order and my wife was told the part had to be shipped from out of state and should arrive within five days. my wife asked, and was informed the vehicle was safe to operate; however, i looked up the recall when i got home from work and discovered the recall specifically states the engine can shut of during operation due to added weight from other keys or key rings on the vw key fob. according to the recall, dealership and maintenance personnel are supposed to inform customers to remove added keys from the fob. my wife had keys on her fob which the dealer mechanic had in his hand during inspections, but the mechanic never informed her of the risk, and allowed her to jeapordize her life by driving the vehicle without the required safety information.

Reported in: NEW BRAUNFELS TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

Reported in: NEW BRAUNFELS TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the electronic door (side panel, passenger, and driver) door locks stopped working. at about the same time our front headlights began to intermittently go out during operation of the vehicle, and then stopped working altogether. the vehicle was submitted to the dealership and customer was informed that the headlight ballast was worn out and had to be replaced. parts were ordered and when the vehicle was taken in for said ballast replacement another mechanic stated this was not a ballast issue since the headlights appeard to turn on during ingintion, but then stopped working shortly afterwards. we had to wait until the next day for a dealer electrician to look at the vehicle. the electrician determined a corroded control panel was causing a short and likely causing door the headlight, as well as other issues such as incorrect tire pressure and speed indications and possible fire. no water was introduced to the vehicle, so my question is how does a control panel corrode unless there is a faulty voltage issue and electrical design defect? the mechanic indicated the dealer gets a lot of these issues on the routan but there is no recall so they charge $900 for the replacement panel. vw knows of this issue that their own mechanics indicate can start electrical fires! the company should be investigated.

Reported in: NEW BRAUNFELS TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: NEW BRAUNFELS TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

The information contained on lemonlaw.org is for general information and advertising purposes only and is not to be considered legal advice nor does it substitute for the advice of an attorney. All legal questions and e-mails may be forwarded to a consumer advocacy group for review by qualified and licensed attorneys, however transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. This site does not have any affiliation, recommend or make any representations, positive or negative, about the attorneys listed on this website or those to whom your inquiry is forwarded. Rather, the hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements such as lemonlaw.org. Before you decide, ask any lawyer you are considering to send you free written information about their qualifications and experience.