2011 Volkswagen Routan

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

MY SISTER BOUGHT A VW ROUTAN SE 2011 SIX MONTHS AGO. RECENTLY, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A "SAFETY PROBLEM" WITH THE VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE TRYING PARK IT ON A (STEEP DOWNHILL) BETWEEN TWO CARS IN SAN FRANCISCO. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN REVERSE AND THE DRIVER IS BACKING UP TO PARK BETWEEN THE TWO CARS ON A STEEP DOWNHILL, THE VW ROUTAN MOVES FORWARD APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT PRIOR TO BACKING UP AND WE FEEL ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS IN THE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE. PLUS, IF YOU DO NOT PRESS ANY GAS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN REVERSE, THE CAR ACTS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN NEUTRAL SHOWING NO RESISTANCE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I MIGHT HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE ATTENTION OF NORTHERN CA VW CASE MANAGER AS WELL I TOOK IT TWO DIFFERENT VW DEALERSHIPS (VW OAKLAND AND VW SERRAMONTE). BOTH DEALERSHIPS MECHANICS HAVE ADMITTED THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. HOWEVER, THE MANAGEMENT OF VW IS CLAIMING THAT IT IS NORMAL SINCE THE OTHER NEW 2011 VW ROUTAN ARE PERFORMING THE SAME UNDER IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE VW CASE MANAGER STATED THAT IN THE EYES OF VW IT IS OK FOR THE MINI VAN TO MOVE ABOUT ONE FOOT FORWARD WHEN IT'S BACKING UP ON A STEEP DOWNHILL; IT IS HOW IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE ENGINEERS. THIS ABSOLUTELY AN IRRESPONSIBLE WAY TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMER WHO BOUGHT A 2011 VEHICLE TO HAVE A PEACE OF MIND AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. IT PUTS THE LIFE OF OUR CITIZENS IN DANGER. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR WHEN IT'S BACKING UP ON A STEEP DOWNHILL. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN STOP IT FROM MOVING FORWARD ABOUT ONE FOOT BEFORE IT STARTS BACKING UP. LET'S SAY SOMEONE WAS CROSSING THE ROAD AT THE SAME TIME I WAS BACKING UP, WHO WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF HE/SHE GOT HURT. AS A GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND TAKE ACTION. *TR

HAD THE VAN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE - BRAKES SQUEAKING AND STEERING PULLING TO RIGHT W/ONLY 4K MILES. FOUND OUT STEERING BOOT WAS "DISINTEGRATED" AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH STEERING PUMP AND RELATED PARTS. DEALERSHIP HAD NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE DAMAGE OCCURRED OR WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. MY VAN WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 28 DAYS WAITING FOR AVAILABLE PARTS AND COMPLETING REPAIRS. I HAVE ONLY HAD MY VAN BACK A WEEK AND IT'S PULLING TO THE RIGHT AGAIN. ALSO, A/C DOESN'T COOL CONSISTENTLY - FADES IN AND OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INCREASE ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING AND THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,300. UPDATED 8/30/11 *CN THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE AFTER MARKET FLOOR MAT WAS THE PROBLEM. ONCE HE REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT, THE PROBLEM CEASED. UPDATED 09/28/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO METAL POLES AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE RESULTS OF A PENDING INVESTIGATION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 242.