IllustrationDRIVING AT LOW SPEED VAN RACED FORWARD THEN STOPPED ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. NOW WON'T RUN AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT OF A TARGET WHEN HAPPENED
2012 Volkswagen Routan
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2012 Volkswagen Routan do not stand out strongly from 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
80–25K
325–50K
1050–75K
1275–100K
8100–150K
4150K+
45 reports with mileage · 18 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 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
3 reportsAS I AM ACCELERATING FROM 25-35 MPH THE VEHICLE ALMOST FEELS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. THE VEHICLE SORT OF JIGGLES/JOLTS WHILE TRYING TO GEAR UP. ONCE REACHING 35/40 MPH THEN VEHICLE RUNS NORMAL. IF I PUSH DOWN ON GAS PEDDLE TO MAKE CAR GO THROUGH THAT GEAR, THE ENGINE REVS UP AND THE VEHICLE KIND OF JOLTS A …
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AS I AM ACCELERATING FROM 25-35 MPH THE VEHICLE ALMOST FEELS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. THE VEHICLE SORT OF JIGGLES/JOLTS WHILE TRYING TO GEAR UP. ONCE REACHING 35/40 MPH THEN VEHICLE RUNS NORMAL. IF I PUSH DOWN ON GAS PEDDLE TO MAKE CAR GO THROUGH THAT GEAR, THE ENGINE REVS UP AND THE VEHICLE KIND OF JOLTS A "GET UP AND GO" FEELING AND THE RPMS GO ABOVE 4K, WHICH THEN VEHICLE GETS UP IN SPEED AND MOVES. ONCE AT 35/40 MPH, THEN THE VEHICLE RUNS SMOOTHLY.
THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THEN IT DIED ON ME MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS UPWARD OF 70 MPH. EVERYTHING WOULD TURN OFF AND THEN I WOULD PULL OVER AND IT WOULD START RIGHT BACK UP. UPON THOSE THINGS HAPPENING I DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN. AS I WAS H…
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THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THEN IT DIED ON ME MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS UPWARD OF 70 MPH. EVERYTHING WOULD TURN OFF AND THEN I WOULD PULL OVER AND IT WOULD START RIGHT BACK UP. UPON THOSE THINGS HAPPENING I DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN. AS I WAS HEADING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 75 MPH THE CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE GAS AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED AND IT DIED. VERY SCARY. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. $1000 LATER THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR ABOUT THREE DAYS THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. IT WOULDN'T START RIGHT UP AND THEN IT STALLED ON ME WHILE IN REVERSE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY.
Official recalls
112V147000 · Suspension:rear
Apr 5, 2012
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 ROUTAN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 15, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 21, 2011. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH RIGHT REAR HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE NOT FULLY MACHINED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A DECREASE IN DURABILITY, WHICH MAY LEAD TO WHEEL SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2012. 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.