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2010 Volkswagen Routan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Routan years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Volkswagen Routan are substantially higher than the model-year median of 63.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

198 reports with mileage · 42 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 150 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

6 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2024
Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

Battery failure due to parasitic draw from Ignition IOD fuse ( J13fuse) reads 0.9 draw and M11 fuse ( hvac system) reads 0.6 draw. First occurrence 2/10/24 and second occurrence 2/11/24. Informed auto repair shop on 2/12/24 and goes in for diagnostic 2/15/24. Abs control module failure( intermittent ) Egr valve replacement (8/9…

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Battery failure due to parasitic draw from Ignition IOD fuse ( J13fuse) reads 0.9 draw and M11 fuse ( hvac system) reads 0.6 draw. First occurrence 2/10/24 and second occurrence 2/11/24. Informed auto repair shop on 2/12/24 and goes in for diagnostic 2/15/24. Abs control module failure( intermittent ) Egr valve replacement (8/9/24 due to overheating but no warning lights due to overheating was displayed which is strange) Speed control sensor was replaced as well 8/9/24 but still has problems getting stuck or not reading the right speed . Consumes fuel faster than normal as well . Getting about 9 miles to the gallon.

NHTSA ODI #11571385

129,000 miles · Mar 30, 2019
Service BrakesSteeringVehicle Speed Control

VAN CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. INABILITY TO STEER, LIMITED BRAKING. CAR GOES COMPLETELY DEAD BUT STILL START BACK ONCE I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR DRIVING OVER 45 WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU.

NHTSA ODI #11192547

177,300 miles · Nov 8, 2018
Service BrakesSteeringVehicle Speed Control

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 30MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO BRAKE WELL. LOOKING ONLINE THEIR WAS A RECALL ON MY MODEL YEAR AND MAKE OF VAN FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL. I CON…

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WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 30MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO BRAKE WELL. LOOKING ONLINE THEIR WAS A RECALL ON MY MODEL YEAR AND MAKE OF VAN FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL. I CONTACTED VW AND THEY ALSO STATED MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY.

NHTSA ODI #11150122

70,500 miles · Jul 6, 2016
Electrical SystemService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

CAR FLASHES ABS ESP SKID CONTROL MONITOR, SHUTS CAR OFF WHILE DRIVING. GOES BACK OFF, DOES IT AGAIN.LOCKS THE CAR, WON'T START, THEN STARTS A BIT LATER. COOLING SYSTEM , HEATER HOSE ISSUES, BRAKE ISSUES, CRUISE CONTROL SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. COULD KILL SOMEONE. INTERNET SEARCH ESP VOLKSWAGENDDEFECT.COMVOLKSWAGEN_ROUTAN_PROBLEMS.HT…

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CAR FLASHES ABS ESP SKID CONTROL MONITOR, SHUTS CAR OFF WHILE DRIVING. GOES BACK OFF, DOES IT AGAIN.LOCKS THE CAR, WON'T START, THEN STARTS A BIT LATER. COOLING SYSTEM , HEATER HOSE ISSUES, BRAKE ISSUES, CRUISE CONTROL SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. COULD KILL SOMEONE. INTERNET SEARCH ESP VOLKSWAGENDDEFECT.COMVOLKSWAGEN_ROUTAN_PROBLEMS.HTM ALL EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE A YEAR AGO. AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. UPDATED 04/05/2017 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10883101

29,000 miles · Aug 15, 2013
Latches/locks/linkagesVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE KEY FOB FAILED TO UNLOCK THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR UPON ACTIVATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE KEY FOB FAILED TO UNLOCK THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR UPON ACTIVATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE DOOR LOCK. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE RELATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10535480

44,000 miles · May 25, 2011
Vehicle Speed Control

I HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNING A 2010 ROUTAN. (THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM, RATHER THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY THE NEW TRANSMISSIONS WORK.) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SET NEAR 50 MPH AND THE VEHICLE GOES DOWNHILL IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AUTOMATICALLY AND THE ENGI…

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I HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNING A 2010 ROUTAN. (THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM, RATHER THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY THE NEW TRANSMISSIONS WORK.) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SET NEAR 50 MPH AND THE VEHICLE GOES DOWNHILL IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AUTOMATICALLY AND THE ENGINE WILL INCREASE ITS RPMS, ESSENTIALLY CREATING A MOTOR-BRAKE THAT KEEPS THE SPEED LESS THAN ABOUT 55 MPH. I ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION AND THEIR ASSURANCE THAT IT WAS SAFE AND WOULD NOT DAMAGE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY OBSERVED THIS HAPPENING AT SPEEDS NEAR 50MPH. HOWEVER, THIS SUNDAY WHEN IT HAPPENED ON A PARTICULARLY LONG, WINDING HILL, I DECIDED THAT I WOULD PREFER TO MANUALLY USE THE BRAKE, SO AFTER IT BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING I PRESSED THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF. IT DID NOT TURN OFF. I PRESSED THE BUTTON SEVERAL MORE TIMES, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT. I PRESSED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE STAYED IN THE LOWER GEAR WITH THE ENGINE REVVING AND IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE WERE WORKING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. I DECIDED TO LET THE VEHICLE CONTROL ITSELF UNTIL WE RETURNED TO LEVEL GROUND. ONCE WE REACHED LEVEL GROUND AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE BEGIN TO REDUCE ITS RPMS, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. THIS WAS SCARY BUT CONTROLLABLE BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE ROAD, THOUGH STEEP, WAS WIDE AND EASY TO NAVIGATE. HOWEVER, ON A SNOWY OR WET ROAD, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND IF IT HAPPENS TO ANYONE ELSE THEY MAY PANIC AND DO SOMETHING EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. THEN, AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR WILL NOT REALIZE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE, AS IN MY CASE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL BE TURNED OFF. BUT THE DRIVER WILL NOT HAVE BEEN IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS, I BELIEVE IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION. I HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS SUNDAY'S INCIDENT TO THE DEALER OR TO VW.

NHTSA ODI #10403451

Official recalls

2

15V194000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Apr 1, 2015

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles manufactured June 25, 2008, to July 8, 2009, and 2010 Routan vehicles manufactured October 1, 2009, to August 11, 2010. This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including, but not limited to, air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H1. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 11V151 and 14V396. Vehicles that previously received an ignition switch trim ring as a recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign. Vehicles that have already received a new ignition switch are not covered by this campaign.

11V151000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Mar 1, 2011

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 ROUTAN VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2009 THROUGH JUNE 2010. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE INADVERTENT IGNITION KEY DISPLACEMENT FROM THE RUN TO ACCESSORY POSITION WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN ENGINE SHUTTING OFF SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIN MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.