2009 Volkswagen Routan

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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!!! *TR

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.

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. *TR

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. *TR

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