2011 Volkswagen Routan

Routine

Owners filed 175 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
69,000 milesMedian miles at failure

147 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,00075,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System88
114
Engine14
000
Service Brakes12
000
Fuel/Propulsion System12
000
Electronic Stability Control (esc)12
000
Unknown or Other7
000
Steering6
100
Power Train6
000
Air Bags5
102
Vehicle Speed Control2
100

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Feb 17, 2025TX

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.

Steering
Filed Jan 10, 2025NV

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.

Engine
Filed May 7, 2024190,000 milesOH

The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 190,000.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 8, 2022NC

Car has issues starting as if fuel pump isnt coming on... also vehicle shut down in middle of driving down highway would not restart

Electrical System
Filed Jul 18, 2022SC

The vehicle is shutting off while driving.

Steering
Filed Mar 20, 2022VA

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.

Electrical System
Filed Dec 5, 2021NV

This is 2011 VW ROUTAN. When the mileage reached exactly 100k both sliding doors shuts. When I put it on manual control button overhead it’s not working in both doors. It’s parked when this happens.

Air Bags
Filed Dec 2, 2021NY

Thé engine malfunction was observed and confirmed by the Mecanicien and the cause was from the manufacture. I'm willing to submit the car for any inspection. The car is still drivable, but I have to report it. I have been trying to call since longtime in vain. Thank

Engine
Filed Jul 29, 2021TX

The van totally looses all power while driving. It happens multiple times per week. While driving the van dies, it takes about 3-5 seconds then the power comes back, we can then drive again. When it happens, sometimes the power doesn't come back on its own, we then have to put it in neutral and restart it, then can drive as normal.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 1, 2021TN

My 2011 VW Routan completely lost power on the freeway while driving in heavy traffic. The steering completely locked up (not lost power steering), locked up and all components died while moving. It took two people to break the steering wheel loose so that the van could be pushed out of the road by TDOT. We had the van towed and once removed from the truck it started and ran like normal. Our 3 kids were also in the van which makes the situation extremely hazardous. Previous to this, we paid $1,500 to the VW dealer to replace the TIPM unit because the van wouldn’t start on many occasions. The dealer stated that he knew Chrysler had issued a recall on their vehicles with these same issues but VW hadn’t taken any action. Other info… no dash lights are/were on. Dealer can’t seem to reproduce the issue. TDOT Officer said he’d never seen a vehicle that locked the steering while the car was in motion. This was worse than it loosing all power.

Electrical System
Filed May 20, 2021VA

When driving for about 25 and then getting to a stop light. As I slow down and start to come to a stop the car shakes very roughly and turns right off. The first time this happened was 3 days after getting car from Carmax. It had not happened again until this week.

Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 30, 2020PA

INTERMITTENT STARTING - FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS VEHICLE IS BASICALLY A CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. CHYRSLER ISSUED A RECALL ON THE FAULTY TMPI FUEL PUMP RELAY BUT VW REFUSES. IS THIS ALLOWED??? IT IS THE SAME VEHICLE. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX A PART THAT IS KNOWN TO BE FAULTY FROM THE START.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 29, 2020NC

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START AFTER REPEATED TRIES. IT WOULD START AS NORMAL AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THE TIPM IS FAULTY. FAULTY TIPMS IN THESE VEHICLE WITH 55K-70K MILEAGE SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY SHOPS WHO WILL REBUILT THESE TIPMS AS ITS A VERY KNOWN ISSUE. THIS IS ALSO A SERIOUS PROBLEM AS IT WOULD SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND HOW START, LEAVING PASSENGERS STRANDED

Engine
Filed Nov 23, 202075,060 milesIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE CRANKED UP HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FUSE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM) FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO DREYER & REINBOLD VW (1301 SOUTH, US-31 STE 3, GREENWOOD, IN 46143) AND THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED THE REPORT OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONBOARD SUPPLY CONTROL UNIT IN THE TIPM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,060.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 21, 202055,000 milesCA

I OWN A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN MINIVAN AND THE IGNITION SWITCH STOPS WORKING I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW RECALLS FOR THIS ON THE 2009 AND 2010 YEARS I CALL VW CORPORATION AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T HELP ME JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE THE PART THEY USED IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS IS THE SAME THAT IS DAMAGE IN MY VEHICLE SO I DON'T THINK IS FAIR AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME HELP FOR THIS THANK YOU

Electrical System
Filed Nov 10, 2020150,000 milesSC

FAULTY TIPM MODULE. ENGINE WILL CRANK JUST FINE, BUT HAS BIG TROUBLE STARTING. ONCE IT RUNS ALL IS GOOD. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THE PART. OTHER OEMS RECALLED THE ITEM (CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY / DODGE GRAND CARAVAN)

Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 2, 2020100,000 milesTX

THE VEHICLE LOOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. IF YOU HIT A BUMP OR TOUCH THE KEY IT CAUSES THE KEY CONNECTION TO STOP AND LOSS OF ALL POWER. HAVE TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND DRIVING ON RURAL ROADS. ALL AREAS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES.

Electrical System
Filed Oct 17, 2020NC

THIS VEHICLE IS BASICALLY A CHRYSLER/DODGE WITH VW BRANDING, AND ONE OF THE KEYS IS EVEN A DODGE KEY. IT HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TIPM AND FUEL RELAY MODULE THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE 2011 CHRYSLER AND DODGE VANS. SEE FUEL PUMP RELAY RECALL NHTSA 14V-530. I'M ASKING THAT IT ALSO BE RECALLED FOR THE 2011 VW ROUTAN SINCE IT'S VERY DANGEROUS THAT MY CAR COULD STOP AT ANY MOMENT. VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING AND WILL NOT START ON MANY OCCASIONS.

Engine
Filed Oct 8, 2020110,000 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER STEERING AND BRAKES DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RELAY CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED AND DRAINED THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF MARIETTA (1860 COBB PKWY SE, MARIETTA, GA 30060) AND INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THREE OTHER UNKNOWN DEALERS BUT WAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 10, 20201 milesCO

WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 VW ROUTAN AT 45 MPH SPEED SUDDENLY THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN TO 20 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY VEHICLE OVER TO A LOCAL ROAD. AFTER SHOWING THE VEHICLE TO DEALER THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS TIMP ISSUE AND REPAIR WOULD COST $1500. LUCKILY IT WASN'T A FREEWAY WITH 65 MPH ROAD, I COULDN'T THINK OF THIS THING HAPPENS ON SUCH ROAD WITH KIDS INSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE CAME ACROSS CHRYSLER GOT SAME SORT OF ISSUES AND THEY RECALLED SUCH VEHICLES. VW ROUTAN IS ALSO SAME BUILT AS CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTY AND VW DIDN'T OFFER ANY RECALLS FOR THESE ISSUES.

20 of 175 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2009
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20142000Routine
20137000Routine
201263100Routine
2011 — this page175020Routine
2010240230Above average
2009294630Above average
20083000Routine

Compare every Routan year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.