2009 Volkswagen Routan

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR