2011 Volkswagen Routan

THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HAS SEVERE CORROSION ON THE BOTTOM. THIS WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL AFTER GOING THRU A CAR WASH. IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. VW OFFERS A 5 YEAR 100,000 CORROSION WARRANTY BUT MY IN-SERVICE DATE HAS EXPIRED AND THEY WILL NOT WORK WITH ME AT ALL. THIS IS A DEFAULT IN THE DESIGN OF THE DOOR AND I HAVE FOUND SIMILAR CASES FOR THE VW ROUTAN ON THE INTERNET. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HAD THIS PART OF THE VEHICLE REPAINTED FOR ANY REASON. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS WOULD OPEN INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE DOOR MOTOR FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE IMMEDIATELY RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND A PERCENTAGE OFF THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,923. *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 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

WITH THE REAR HATCH OPEN THERE IS NO COVER OR SAFETY STOP MECHANISM ON THE AUTOMATIC FOLDING REAR SEATS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED THE BUTTON AND HAVE HAD THE SEAT CRUSH OBJECTS IN ITS PATH. I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I HAD MY BABY SEAT STRAPPED IN WHILE I ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED THE BUTTON. WOULD MY CHILD BE CRUSHED OR MAIMED? BASED ON THE ITEMS IN MY TRUNK, YES. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO STOP THE MECHANISM ONCE IT HAS STARTED AND NO WAY TO PREVENT ITS ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT. I CONTACTED VW AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO PLAN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR