2009 Volkswagen Routan

CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GOES CRAZY, SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GOES CRAZY. RADIO TURNS OFF AND ON, THEN THE VEHICLE TURNS OFF COMPLETELY. IT TURNS ON AFTER. SOMETIMES ALL THIS HAPPENS BEFORE TURNING OFF, SOMETIMES IT TURNS OFF SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX ISSUE WITH NO LUCK. DRIVING IT MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS BUT I CAN'T CHANGE CARS RIGHT NOW. IT HAS HAPPENED BOTH ON SMALL STREETS AND HIGHWAY IN MOTION.

EVEN AFTER REBUILDING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A PAUSE, THEN A JARRING AS IT SLIPS INTO R GEAR; BUT EVERY TIME ACCELERATION IS ATTEMPTED IN R, THERE IS A DELAY, FOLLOWED BY CONSISTENT LAG; IF ATTEMPTING TO R UP AN INCLINE, IF SPEED IS NOT ALREADY OVER A SPECIFIC MINIMUM, VEHICLE THEN ASSUMES ACTION AS IF IT IS IN N. EVEN AN INCLINE SLOPE OF SIMPLY BACKING INTO A DRIVEWAY, IF VEHICLE IS NOT ENTIRELY ACROSS THE INCLINE, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE CONTROLLING A REVERSE MOVEMENT, THOUGH ENGINE RESPONDS AS THOUGH IN N. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE; THAT HAS PERSISTED EVEN AFTER REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT BEGAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO; IS THAT THE DOOR'S LOCKING MECHANISMS FOR SEVERAL OF THE DOORS, NO LONGER OPERATE PROPERLY. LOCKING VIA KEY FOB, OR DOOR PANEL, DOES NOT ACTUALLY ENGAGE THE DOOR TO LOCK. NOR DOES UNLOCKING THE DOORS VIA KEY FOB, OR DOOR PANELS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED PAST 90 MPH ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL COULD NOT BE DEACTIVATED. THE DRIVER HAD TO SWITCH THE ENGINE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COVENTRY MOTORCARS (2152 BOSTON TPKE, COVENTRY, CT), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND SHOOK LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO STALL WHEN BRAKING. THE THROTTLE LIGHTENING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY CAME ON. WHEN PARKED, THE ENGINE REVVED EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH AND I HAD TO SHUT IT OFF TO STOP IT. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL ELECTRICAL WIRING AND THE RADIATOR AND RADIATOR FAN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID ALL RECALLS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC HAS NOT FOUND ANYTHING WRONG. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT DIM BUT ARE EITHER ON OR OFF. THE SLIDING DOORS WILL STOP WORKING OR WORK PARTIALLY. THE THROTTLE BOX IS CURRENTLY BEGIN REPLACED AS A BEST GUESS SOLUTION.

ON 6/21/15, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT APPROXIMATELY 75MPH. I WAS NOT ACCELERATING, NOR HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS OR BRAKE PETAL. WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE GAS PETAL PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING QUICKLY. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY HAZARDS AND TURNED OFF THE CRUISE, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN EXCESS OF 100MPH. I FEARED COLLIDING WITH OTHER DRIVERS ON THE TWO-LANED HIGHWAY, AND BEGAN BRAKING AGAINST THE CAR'S ACCELERATION, WHICH WAS QUITE DIFFICULT. I PUSHED THE BRAKE PETAL DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD, WHICH STOPPED FURTHER ACCELERATION; BUT DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REV UP AND TRIED RELENTLESSLY TO ACCELERATE AGAINST MY BEST EFFORTS TO BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE GRAVEL SHOULDER. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO AROUND 20MPH, I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND COASTED TO A STOP. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF SMOKE FROM THE BRAKES. I BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO A CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION OR A RELATED SENSOR. I DISCONTINUED USING THE CRUISE AT ANY TIME. HOWEVER, ON 7/9/15, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS TIME, THE CRUISE WAS NOT SET, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR ON A THREE LANE FREEWAY. THE SAME STEPS NOTED ABOVE SLOWED THE VEHICLE AFTER IT BEGAN ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SURROUNDING VEHICLES. THE GAS PETAL WAS AGAIN STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND COULD NOT BE PULLED UP. AFTER THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, THERE IS LIKELY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BRAKES AND/OR ENGINE. I CONTACTED A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP, THAT PLANS TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE VW SALES MANAGER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION AND BE SURE TO TURN THE KEY TO "OFF" OR "ACCESSORY" SHOULD THE PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN.

I WENT TO PASS A VEHICLE AT 65MPH AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOT RELEASE, THE VAN HIT 80-MPH BEFORE I POPPED IT IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. HITTING THE BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT ON THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THIS VEHICLE IS MECHANICALLY IDENTICAL TO CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND DADGE GRAND CARAVAN, SEE OTHER IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS HERE: HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/14835/DODGE/VOYAGER/DODGE-GRAND-CARAVAN-SUDDEN-ACCELERATION? *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR