IllustrationThé 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
2011 Volkswagen Routan
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Routan years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan are substantially higher than the model-year median of 63.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Routan years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
150–25K
1925–50K
5250–75K
3575–100K
21100–150K
5150K+
147 reports with mileage · 28 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 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
6 reports"TAKATA RECALL" THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON/OFF FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS. I CHECKED THE RECALL AND SEE THERE ISN'T ONE. I CALLED A MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T TELL ME WHY THE LIGHT WOULD BE CONTINUALLY GOING ON/OFF. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
I CANNOT USE OR SELL MY CAR UNTIL AIRBAGS ARE REPLACED.. I HAVE BEEN WAITING NOW FOR YEARS FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS!!
DRIVER AIR BAG HAS FAILED TWICE RESULTING IN HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS. BRAKES GO BAD EXTREMELY FAST. ALREADY REPLACED 2 FULL SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS IN 2 YEARS; LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON EACH SET. VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKS WHEN IN REVERSE ON A HILL. ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF POPPING IN STEERING. DEALER UNABLE TO PINPOINT PROBLEM WITH JERKIN…
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DRIVER AIR BAG HAS FAILED TWICE RESULTING IN HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS. BRAKES GO BAD EXTREMELY FAST. ALREADY REPLACED 2 FULL SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS IN 2 YEARS; LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON EACH SET. VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKS WHEN IN REVERSE ON A HILL. ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF POPPING IN STEERING. DEALER UNABLE TO PINPOINT PROBLEM WITH JERKING OR POPPING.
UNFORTUNATELY MY 2011 VW ROUTAN WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE IT WAS STRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION THE ROUTAN SPUN 270 DEGREES AND ROLLED OVER. NONE OF THE MULTIPLE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DEPLOYED! *TR
I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT AN ACCIDENT MY WIFE WAS IN ON 12/06/2012. SHE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER DRIVER. SHE HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THEY WERE ON A HIGHWAY AND THEY WERE GOING 55MPH AND THE DRIVER THAT HIT THEM HEAD ON WAS GOING AROUND 20MPH ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT. THERE WAS $10,000 DAMAGE TO THE FR…
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I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT AN ACCIDENT MY WIFE WAS IN ON 12/06/2012. SHE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER DRIVER. SHE HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THEY WERE ON A HIGHWAY AND THEY WERE GOING 55MPH AND THE DRIVER THAT HIT THEM HEAD ON WAS GOING AROUND 20MPH ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT. THERE WAS $10,000 DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE ROUTAN. THE BODY SHOP SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT END. MY CONCERNS ARE THAT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED IN THIS CRASH AND THAT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SPARED SOME EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DISTRESS IF THEY HAD DEPLOYED. MY WIFE AND CHILDREN HAVE EXPRESSED MANY TIMES SINCE THE ACCIDENT THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE GETTING BACK INTO OR DRIVING THAT SAME VEHICLE AGAIN. MY QUESTIONS ARE: 1. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY? 2. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE NHTSA?3. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO GET A LAWYER TO HANDLE? 4. IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE YOU WANT TO GET THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT IT YOURSELF FOR MALFUNCTIONS? 5. I AM SURE IT IS A COINCIDENT, BUT WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM VW AFTER WE TOLD THEM ALL THIS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO STOP MAKING THE ROUTAN AFTER THE NEXT YEAR. IT IS JUST SUSPICIOUS. IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE ME AN EMAIL OR CALL BACK PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN THIS MATTER. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.