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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

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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

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

What owners actually said

175 reports
122,000 miles · Jan 7, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

VEICLE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AT 40 MILES PER HOUR POSING A DANGER TO MY SELF AND CHILDREN LEAVING ME AND MY CHILDREN PANICKING FROM SUCH INCIDENT, WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE BY HANGING TO STEERING WILL, TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN WHEN I TURNED IT ON VEICLE STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF IT WAS GOING CRAZY, …

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VEICLE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AT 40 MILES PER HOUR POSING A DANGER TO MY SELF AND CHILDREN LEAVING ME AND MY CHILDREN PANICKING FROM SUCH INCIDENT, WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE BY HANGING TO STEERING WILL, TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN WHEN I TURNED IT ON VEICLE STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF IT WAS GOING CRAZY, TURNED IT OFF AGAIN AND VEICLE STARTED AS NORMAL, TOOK ONLY 3 MILES FOR SAME THING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. ALSO BATTERY GETS DRAINED IF LEFT OFF FOR MORE THAN 4 HOURS.

NHTSA ODI #11061079

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2018
Air Bags

I CANNOT USE OR SELL MY CAR UNTIL AIRBAGS ARE REPLACED.. I HAVE BEEN WAITING NOW FOR YEARS FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS!!

NHTSA ODI #11060989

62,300 miles · Dec 27, 2017
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

REPLACED FUEL PUMP AFTER ISSUES WITH ENGINE REFUSING TO TURN OVER. NEXT DAY AFTER REPAIR THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START; TOWED TO GARAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS. ONE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO START IT AND ANOTHER NOT. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE. I HAVE EXPLORED THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND FIND MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE NEED…

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REPLACED FUEL PUMP AFTER ISSUES WITH ENGINE REFUSING TO TURN OVER. NEXT DAY AFTER REPAIR THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START; TOWED TO GARAGE FOR DIAGNOSIS. ONE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO START IT AND ANOTHER NOT. COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE. I HAVE EXPLORED THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND FIND MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE NEED TO REPLACEMTHE TIPM. THIS VAN HAS AN ENGINE BUILT BY CHRYSLER WHICH RECALLED ITS 2011 VANS TO REPLACE THIS DEVICE. PLEASE FORCE VW TO DO THE SAME! THANKFULLY THE VAN WAS IN PARK WHEN IT REFUSED TO START.

NHTSA ODI #11056826

80,000 miles · Dec 21, 2017
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE BATTERY APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED. THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF, RESTARTED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE BATTERY APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED. THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF, RESTARTED THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE EIGHT MONTHS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER (RUSTY WALLIS, 12635 LYNDON B JOHNSON FWY, GARLAND TX 75041) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER PAID FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT HENDRICKS VOLKSWAGEN (5010 STATE HWY 121, FRISCO, TX 75034) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER, TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE, TWO CAM SHAFT SENSORS, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER SOLENOID WERE FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 1-800-822-8987 AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #11055877

96,000 miles · Dec 7, 2017
Electrical System

ENGINE AND POWER RELATED STUFF (BRAKES, STEERING) GOES OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. AFTER A FEW SECONDS ENGINE WILL START, PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY THEN 2-3 DAYS LATER WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE FREQUENT SO CAN NOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE.I

NHTSA ODI #11053316

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

THE VAN HAS A CHRYSLER ENGINE AND THE TIPEM PART HAS BEEN RECALLED UNDER THE CHRYSLER HOWEVER VW HAS NOT RECALLED THE PART THIS IS A 1300 FIX

NHTSA ODI #11052996

89,000 miles · Dec 4, 2017
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel/propulsion System

TIPM MODULE. MY 2011 VW ROUTAN WAS BUILT BY CHRYSLER WITH THE SAME PARTS AS ANY OTHER CHRYSLER CAR AT THAT TIME. CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES MADE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE CAR WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING! IMAGINE GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING 70MPH WITH …

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TIPM MODULE. MY 2011 VW ROUTAN WAS BUILT BY CHRYSLER WITH THE SAME PARTS AS ANY OTHER CHRYSLER CAR AT THAT TIME. CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES MADE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE CAR WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING! IMAGINE GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING 70MPH WITH YOUR KIDS IN THE CAR AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ONLY DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT. BECAUSE THE CAR IS BRANDED AS A VW, CHRYSYLER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE RECALLED PART WHICH I WAS QUOTED AT $1300 FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND VW SAYS IT IS A CHRYSLER PART AND ISSUE. THIS THIN GRAY LINE IS COSTING PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND POSSIBLY EVEN LIVES.

NHTSA ODI #11052235

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

RECENTLY THE VAN HAS GIVEN ME TROUBLE UPON STARTUP. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD START FINE. OTHER TIMES, IT WOULD TAKE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. OTHER TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD START, THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN ITSELF OFF. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD BE LIKE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CHARGE TO TURN THE STARTER, AN…

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RECENTLY THE VAN HAS GIVEN ME TROUBLE UPON STARTUP. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD START FINE. OTHER TIMES, IT WOULD TAKE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. OTHER TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD START, THEN IMMEDIATELY TURN ITSELF OFF. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD BE LIKE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CHARGE TO TURN THE STARTER, AND OTHER TIMES, WHEN IT WOULD START THEN DIE, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS, MY VAN ONLY HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE IS THE CULPRIT OF THESE ISSUES. SPECIFICALLY, IT IS THE FUEL PUMP RELAY THAT CAN INTERMITTENTLY NOT TURN ON, OR TURN OFF RANDOMLY. IT IS A WELL-KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VANS AND ITS DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN N COUNTRY, UPON WHICH THE VW ROUTAN IS BASED. FCA HAS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, AND ISSUED A RECALL ON MANY OF ITS VEHICLES FOR FAULTY TIPM'S. VW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM BUT HAS YET TO RECALL OR FIX THE CARS, INSTEAD THE CONSUMER HAS TO SHELL OUT $300 TO $1500 FOR THE REPAIR OF A KNOWN FAULTY EQUIPMENT. WHY WERE THESE PARTS USED KNOWING THE HISTORY? THERE IS ANOTHER WEBSITE WITH THOUSAND OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS: HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2011/VOLKSWAGEN/ROUTAN/FUEL_PROPULSION_SYSTEM/PROBLEM.ASPX

NHTSA ODI #11051067

70,000 miles · Nov 26, 2017
Fuel/propulsion System

IT IS VERY HARD TO START THE ROUTAN, AND IT HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING FOR NO REASON DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. CHRYSLER (WHO MADE THE ROUTAN FOR VW) HAS RECALLED THE TIPM ON ALL OF THEIR TOWN AND COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS THE DODGE CARAVANS FOR THIS SAME REASON. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 7 THAT USES THIS VEHICLE FOR OUT PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSP…

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IT IS VERY HARD TO START THE ROUTAN, AND IT HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING FOR NO REASON DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. CHRYSLER (WHO MADE THE ROUTAN FOR VW) HAS RECALLED THE TIPM ON ALL OF THEIR TOWN AND COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS THE DODGE CARAVANS FOR THIS SAME REASON. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 7 THAT USES THIS VEHICLE FOR OUT PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ODI #11048527

85,000 miles · Nov 20, 2017
Electrical System

I HAVE 2011 VW VAN WHICH FIRST THE VAN START GIVING HARD TIME TO START. NOW I HAVE NEW BATTERY AND THE BATTERY STILL GOT DRAINED AND I HAVE TO GIVE IT A JUMP EVERY DAY JUST TO START. WHEN I TURN THE VAN OFF I KEEP HEARING THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING AND THAT WHAT DRAIN MY BATTERY

NHTSA ODI #11047561

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.