2009 Volkswagen Routan

I TOOK MY VAN INTO THE VW DEALER TO GET THE SAFETY RECALL #28H1 PERFORMED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AN AFTERMARKET REMOTE START INSTALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL NOT PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE UNTIL I GET ALL THE WIRING CONNECTORS BACK TO STOCK. I TOOK UP THIS ISSUE WITH THE VW CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS AFTERMARKET REMOTE STARTER ABSOLVES VW FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PERFORM THE SAFETY RECALL. IT IS THEIR DEFECTIVE PART THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD THE DEALER THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE REMOTE STARTER, I JUST WANT THE SAFETY RECALL TO BE DONE AS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE TO DO.

VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES APPROXIMATELY FEBRUARY 17, 2015.THEN FINALLY WOULDN'T START AT ALL. EMERGENCY ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE CAME GOT CAR STARTED. THEN WHILE DRIVING DASHBOARD STARTED BLINKING POWER WAS LOST CAR CUT OFF. HAD TO CONTACT ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AGAIN TO HAVE CART TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY. COULD NOT FIND OUT PROBLEM SUGGESTED TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM INITIALLY THEN FOUND IT MADE REPAIRS WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER IT WAS PARTLY DUE TO THE RECALL (28H1.) THEN APPROXIMATELY THE MIDDLE OF JULY 2015 CAR BEGAN TO STALL AGAIN WHEN TRYING TO START. CONTACTED VWOA MADE ARRANGEMENT TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR DONE AGAIN. IT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 7 WEEKS LATER SEPTEMBER 2015 AND ONCE AGAIN THE CAR IS PERIODICALLY STALLING WHEN TRYING TO START. IF THIS IS ELECTRICAL AGAIN IF THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR WILL IT EVENTUALLY LOOSE POWER AND DISABLE THE CAR ALL TOGETHER AND BE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AGAIN.

THE ELECTRONIC DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT LATCH OPEN. THE DOOR WILL POWER OPEN THEN SLIDE BACK SHUT HITTING WHOEVER OR WHATEVER IS IN THE WAY. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE VAN WAS CHECKED BY OUR LOCAL DEALER SEVERAL TIMES OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS STILL AN ISSUE. THIS HAS LED TO MYSELF AND CHILDREN BEING HIT BY THE DOOR LEAVING BRUISES. IT ALMOST SMASHED MY 2 YEAR OLD DAYCARE CHILD'S LEG IN THE DOOR BUT I INTERVENED STOPPING THE DOOR PRIOR TO IT HITTING HER. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ALSO WITH NO REMEDY FROM VW.

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN SE WITH BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS. OUR 4 YEAR OLD SON WENT TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR BY PULLING ON THE HANDLE, AND AT THE SAME TIME MY HUSBAND WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR BY PUSHING THE "DOOR OPEN" BUTTON ON THE KEY. AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE DOOR ENDED UP CLOSING COMPLETELY, AND LATCHING, ON MY SON'S HAND. IT ALSO WOULD ONLY OPEN ONCE MY HUSBAND FORCEFULLY PULLED THE DOOR OPEN. OF COURSE HIS HAND IMMEDIATELY SWELLED UP AND WE VISITED THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, HAD XRAY'S TAKEN, AND THERE WAS NO INCIDENCE OF A FRACTURE. WHEN WE REPORTED THIS DIRECTLY TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO BRING IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND HAVE DIAGNOSTICS DONE. THE RESULT? "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR VEHICLE." THEY WENT ON TO EXPLAIN TO US THAT THE ANTI PINCH PROTECTION IS WORKING, BUT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SENSE SUCH A SMALL OBJECT. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ASSURED US THAT THIS MATTER WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY, AND THAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DOOR WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN WE ADDRESSED ANY FURTHER ACTIONS, IE REPLACEMENT OF DOOR, VEHICLE, OR TERMINATION OF OUR LEASE AGREEMENT, WE WERE TOLD, "WE ARE SORRY FOR THIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT, BUT ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND THERE IS NOTHING MORE WE CAN DO FOR YOU." WHEN WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN THAT OUR 4 YEAR OLD SON IS PETRIFIED OF OUR CAR, AND THAT HE REFUSES TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE BY HIMSELF, LET ALONE OPEN THE DOOR ALONE, WE WERE TOLD, "I AM SURE HE WILL GET OVER IT AFTER A WHILE." THESE ANSWERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US. FOR A CAR THAT IS MARKETED AS A FAMILY MOBILE AND A SAFE VEHICLE, WE FEEL THAT IT DOES NOT LIVE UP TO IT'S CLAIMS. IT MAKES NO SENSE WHY AN AUTOMATIC DOOR WOULD BE DESIGNED TO SENSE SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A CHILD'S HAND, LIMB, OR OTHER BODY PART. WHAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH A MINIVAN? A CHILD! WE FEEL WE HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED DUE TO THE LACK OF CARING OR IMPORTANCE THAT THIS MATTER HAS BEEN GIVEN. *TR