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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

Engine complaints

48 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2017
EngineService Brakes

I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROUTERS 3 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VAN AT OVER $1000 EACH TIME. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE IS THE FACT THAT THE CAR WON'T START. VERY FREQUENTLY, THE VAN WILL NOT START LEAVING MY KIDS AND I STRANDED. IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AS I COMMUTE TO WORK AND WE LIKE TO DO THINGS OUT OF OUR AREA, NOT TO MENTION JUS…

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I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROUTERS 3 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VAN AT OVER $1000 EACH TIME. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE IS THE FACT THAT THE CAR WON'T START. VERY FREQUENTLY, THE VAN WILL NOT START LEAVING MY KIDS AND I STRANDED. IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AS I COMMUTE TO WORK AND WE LIKE TO DO THINGS OUT OF OUR AREA, NOT TO MENTION JUST DRIVE IN GENERAL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME.

NHTSA ODI #11011522

79,000 miles · Jul 18, 2017
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

CAR WON'T START. LOW CHARGE, LIGHTS NOT WORKING, HORN NOT WORKING, OVER HEATING. FIRST IT HAPPANED WHILE PARKED AND THEN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11006056

65,880 miles · Jan 18, 2017
Engine

2011 ROUTAN WOULD CRANK AND NOT START. POWER DOORS WOULD OPEN VERY SLOWLY. KEY FOB WOULD REQUIRE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK DOORS. SEATBELT LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND ALARM WOULD SOUND, EVEN THOUGH SEATBELTS WERE ENGAGED. ROUTAN WOULD STALL AFTER START.

NHTSA ODI #10945935

69,000 miles · Dec 14, 2016
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUF…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ODI #10935223

105,000 miles · Dec 12, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH STARTING MY VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN ON THE INITIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE KEY, THE PROBLEM STARTED WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. IN THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN THAT IN 2009 AND 2010 MODEL THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT SHOWED SIMILA…

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I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH STARTING MY VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN ON THE INITIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE KEY, THE PROBLEM STARTED WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. IN THE SAME TIME FRAME, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN THAT IN 2009 AND 2010 MODEL THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT SHOWED SIMILAR ISSUES. MY CAR DOES HAVE 10000 MILES, SO I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS AN INITIAL FAULTY ITEM OR A PART THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TIPM MODULE, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUES. I WANT TO SEE IF OTHER 2011 MODELS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES, AND WHETHER THE 2011 MODELS SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE RECALL FOR THE 2009/2010 MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10934732

67,566 miles · Nov 2, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

THE VAN HESITATES TO START. IT HAS TURNED OFF BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. THE BLINKERS (RIGHT AND LEFT) SOMETIMES WORK. THE HAZARD LIGHTS SOMETIMES WORK. THE AC COMES ON AND THEN COMES OFF. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH MAINTENANCE ON THE VAN. WE TOOK THE VAN INTO VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SERVICE AND WERE TOLD T…

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THE VAN HESITATES TO START. IT HAS TURNED OFF BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. THE BLINKERS (RIGHT AND LEFT) SOMETIMES WORK. THE HAZARD LIGHTS SOMETIMES WORK. THE AC COMES ON AND THEN COMES OFF. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH MAINTENANCE ON THE VAN. WE TOOK THE VAN INTO VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SERVICE AND WERE TOLD THAT THE 2011 MODEL WAS PLAGUED WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WE WERE TOLD THIS TIME OUR TIPM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WE ARE EXPERIENCING ARE RELATED TO A PROBLEM CHRYSLER (WHO MADE THE VAN) ADMITTED TO. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART. THE TIPM IS KNOWN FOR NOT GETTING FUEL TO THE ENGINE WHICH CAN STOP THE VAN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US TWICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10923858

52,000 miles · Sep 21, 2016
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

CAR WONT START, ONLY SOMETIMES. JUST TURNS OVER REPEATEDLY, UNTIL YOU TURN THE KEY OFF. SOMETIMES NOTHING HAPPENS. SOMETIMES IT STARTS NORMALLY. ONCE IT STALLED. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS ON THE FIRST START, BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MATTER.

NHTSA ODI #10908605

55,000 miles · Nov 19, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT BEGAN STALLING WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, ALL …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT BEGAN STALLING WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, ALL THE VEHICLE'S WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ODI #10794874

29,139 miles · Nov 13, 2015
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING.THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING.THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,139. UPDATED 1/12/16 *CN

NHTSA ODI #10790234

69,000 miles · Oct 23, 2015
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN IND…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE DID NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE IGNITION AS A RESULT THE IGNITION AND THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

NHTSA ODI #10785608

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.