ENGINE LIGHT ON. NEED TO REPLACE TORQUE CONVERTER AND VALVE BODY, SEALANT, AND TRAN FLUIDS
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
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
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.
What owners actually said
175 reportsBATTERY BLEW UP
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.
CAR WON'T START. LOW CHARGE, LIGHTS NOT WORKING, HORN NOT WORKING, OVER HEATING. FIRST IT HAPPANED WHILE PARKED AND THEN WHILE DRIVING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (OURISMAN VOLKSWAGEN MAZDA IN ROCKVILLE, MD), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE F…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (OURISMAN VOLKSWAGEN MAZDA IN ROCKVILLE, MD), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 170810911. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 08/22/17*LJ *TR
DRIVER AIR BAG HAS FAILED TWICE RESULTING IN HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS. BRAKES GO BAD EXTREMELY FAST. ALREADY REPLACED 2 FULL SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS IN 2 YEARS; LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON EACH SET. VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKS WHEN IN REVERSE ON A HILL. ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF POPPING IN STEERING. DEALER UNABLE TO PINPOINT PROBLEM WITH JERKIN…
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DRIVER AIR BAG HAS FAILED TWICE RESULTING IN HIGH DOLLAR REPAIRS. BRAKES GO BAD EXTREMELY FAST. ALREADY REPLACED 2 FULL SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS IN 2 YEARS; LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON EACH SET. VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKS WHEN IN REVERSE ON A HILL. ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF POPPING IN STEERING. DEALER UNABLE TO PINPOINT PROBLEM WITH JERKING OR POPPING.
THE MINIVAN SUDDENLY GAVE AWAY ON THE TRANSMISSION. AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 70MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN "D" (AUTO TRANSMISSION VS MANUAL) BUT THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ENGINE. GIVING MORE GAS THE ENGINE WAS JUST REVVING UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOVED IT TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE AND STILL THE ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT…
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THE MINIVAN SUDDENLY GAVE AWAY ON THE TRANSMISSION. AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 70MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN "D" (AUTO TRANSMISSION VS MANUAL) BUT THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ENGINE. GIVING MORE GAS THE ENGINE WAS JUST REVVING UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOVED IT TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE AND STILL THE ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT. HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES, TRIED AGAIN AND THEN THE CAR SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 5000RPM OR SO AS IF IT WAS IN THE 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. IT THEN RE-ADJUSTED ITSELF AND STARTED PICKING UP SPEED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE ASAP SINCE THIS HAPPENED DURING PEAK TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY WHEN TRYING TO OVERTAKE A TRUCK WITH THE VAN FULL OF PASSENGERS.
I DRIVE A 2011 VW ROUTAN SE AND AM HAVING TO REPLACE WHEEL BEARINGS. THIS IS NOT A REPAIR THAT SHOULD LIKELY REALLY EVER NEED TO BE DONE LET ALONE ON ALL 4 WHEELS AT UNDER 100K MILES . THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN ASAP
ENGINE HARD STARTED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN IT DIED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND RIGGED A BYPASS IN THE FUSE BOX. ALL SEEMED TO BE WORKING OK, BUT THEN THE CAR DIED AGAIN ABOUT MONTHS LATER. NEXT TIME WE STARTED IT, THE DASH LIT UP WITH ALL KINDS…
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ENGINE HARD STARTED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN IT DIED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND RIGGED A BYPASS IN THE FUSE BOX. ALL SEEMED TO BE WORKING OK, BUT THEN THE CAR DIED AGAIN ABOUT MONTHS LATER. NEXT TIME WE STARTED IT, THE DASH LIT UP WITH ALL KINDS OF WARNING LIGHTS, THE RADIO POWER WENT OUT, AND THE A/C WAS NOT WORKING. WE'LL SEE IF IT IS THE SAME ISSUE OR ANOTHER. THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IN THE TIPM, ACCORDING TO ACCOUNT ON INTERNET FORUMS, IS A FAULTY PART AND HAS BEEN RECALLED IN OTHER DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLES, BUT NOT THE VW ROUTAN (WHICH IS A CARAVAN/TOWN & COUNTRY CLONE FOR THE MOST PART). THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PART BEING DEFECTIVE AND PEOPLE LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING AND IT IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.
THE VAN WAS MY MOTHERS WHICH SHE PASSED AWAY ABOUT YEAR AGO. I INHERITED THE VAN I DRIVE IT FOR COUPLE MONTHS WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD TRY TO START IT THAT IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD ONLY MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. I WOULD TURN KEY OFF & TRY IT AGAIN IT WOULD START. THEN IN MONTH OR SO I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOU…
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THE VAN WAS MY MOTHERS WHICH SHE PASSED AWAY ABOUT YEAR AGO. I INHERITED THE VAN I DRIVE IT FOR COUPLE MONTHS WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD TRY TO START IT THAT IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD ONLY MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. I WOULD TURN KEY OFF & TRY IT AGAIN IT WOULD START. THEN IN MONTH OR SO I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD BE DRIVING 55-70 MPH THAT IT WOULD LIKE STALL. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT DOWN OR ACCELERATE. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER & RESTART IT. IT BEGAN DOING THAT QUITE OFTEN UNTIL ONE NIGHT I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & WENT TO TURN IN SOMEWHERE WHEN IT DIED & WOULDN'T START BACK. MY HUSBAND HAD TO COME PULL ME HOME. WE HAVE RESEARCHED WHAT IT WAS DOING & A LOT OF PEOPLE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. THEY CLAIM IT'S A $1200 TPIM BOARD. THE VW ROUTAN IS CHRYSLER MADE UNDER THE HOOD. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM & HAS ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL BUT VW SAID THEY WASN'T GOING TO RECALL IT. THEY ARE AWARE OF IT TOO. I FEEL AS IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT IF THIS ISN'T ADDRESSED BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 70MPH & IT JUST DIES WHICH MEAN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I HAVE KIDS & I WOULD'VE HATED FOR US TO BE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THAT HAPPENED. LUCKILY I WAS IN TOWN & NO KIDS WAS WITH ME. THANK YOU!!
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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