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2013 Volkswagen Routan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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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

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

7 reports
130,000 miles · Jun 6, 2023
Electrical SystemPower Train

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly shut off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure, no warning lights were illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted r…

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The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly shut off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure, no warning lights were illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11525585

100,000 miles · May 18, 2023
Seats

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the passenger’s side front headrest prematurely deployed without impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. T…

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The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the passenger’s side front headrest prematurely deployed without impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #11522689

128,000 miles · Jul 29, 2021
Power Train

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, he started to hear an abnormal sound. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact stated that he replaced the intake manifold and the check engin…

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The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, he started to hear an abnormal sound. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact stated that he replaced the intake manifold and the check engine warning light disappeared. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact also called a second local dealer Volkswagen of St. Augustine (3235 US-1, St. Augustine, FL 32086:(904) 467-8880), and made them aware of the failure. The contact stated that currently the vehicle was shifting into gear incorrectly. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

NHTSA ODI #11426930

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2019
Engine

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CONSTANTLY MOVING TO 220 THERMOSTAT WATER PUMP AND SENSOR WAS CHANGED WITH NEW ANTIFREEZE. ITS STILL DOING YHE SAME THING. I NOTIVED SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM STATIONARY OR MOVING II WILL MOVE.

NHTSA ODI #11222514

80,000 miles · Nov 9, 2018
Engine

VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER SOMETIMES HARSHLY UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE AT 45-60MPH AND SMALL HILL OR ACCELERATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED A LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FAILURE AND CYLINDER MISFIRES. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. NOT INCLUDED BY VIN AND FALLS JUST OUTSIDE THE MANUFACTURING DATE, WHICH RESULTED IN A MANUFACTURERS EXTENDED WAR…

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VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER SOMETIMES HARSHLY UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE AT 45-60MPH AND SMALL HILL OR ACCELERATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED A LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FAILURE AND CYLINDER MISFIRES. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. NOT INCLUDED BY VIN AND FALLS JUST OUTSIDE THE MANUFACTURING DATE, WHICH RESULTED IN A MANUFACTURERS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR SIMILAR FAILURES. REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM VW DUE TO THE SIMILARITY OF FAILURE AND CLOSE MANUFACTURING DATE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. VW DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. HARD TO BELIEVE A VEHICLE JUST PRODUCED OUTSIDE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WINDOW WOULD HAVE A SIMILAR FAILURE AND NOT BE A PART OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. REVIEW THE DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS... MANY 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY AND VW ROUTAN VANS HAVE LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FAILURES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED YET ARE NOT INCLUDED BY THE MANUFACTURERS IN THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE.

NHTSA ODI #11150364

74,000 miles · Jun 23, 2017
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK, JERKED, AND MISFIRED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (HAWK VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 2861 W JEFFERSON ST JOLIET, IL 60435 815-741-1100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD NEEDED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK, JERKED, AND MISFIRED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (HAWK VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 2861 W JEFFERSON ST JOLIET, IL 60435 815-741-1100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ODI #11000862

9,500 miles · Jul 20, 2016
Electrical System

ENGINE WON'T START WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WHILE VAN IS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, GARAGE, AT GAS STATION, AT SORE PARKING LOT; ALARM HORN SOUNDS FOR NO REASON WHEN VAN IS PARKED; DOORS LOCK WHEN EXITING VEHICLE YET NO LOCK/FOB HAS BEEN PRESSED LOCKING BOTH ELDERLY PARENTS INSIDE VAN WHEN TEMPS. WERE -5 DEGREES OUTSIDE; ENGINE ON…

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ENGINE WON'T START WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WHILE VAN IS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, GARAGE, AT GAS STATION, AT SORE PARKING LOT; ALARM HORN SOUNDS FOR NO REASON WHEN VAN IS PARKED; DOORS LOCK WHEN EXITING VEHICLE YET NO LOCK/FOB HAS BEEN PRESSED LOCKING BOTH ELDERLY PARENTS INSIDE VAN WHEN TEMPS. WERE -5 DEGREES OUTSIDE; ENGINE ONLY STARTS WHEN REMOTE START BUTTON ON KEY FOB IS USED, THEN THE ALARM HORN SOUNDS UNTIL VAN IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE ISSUE IS CLEARLY THE T.I.P.M. MODULE WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON SEVERAL CHRYSLER-BASED PRODUCTS (WHICH THIS ROUTAN IS.) VW HAS RUN DIAGNOSTIC CODES TWICE AND NOTHING TURNS UP BECAUSE THE VAN ISN'T RUNNING TO TRIGGER A CODE. ALTHOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THEY SAY THE T.I.P.M. IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE NO CODES ARE TRIGGERED. MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NO.: TB-15-11-04. NHTSA NUMBER: 10043276. THE DATE LISTED BELOW (01/06/2015) IS THE FIRST INSTANCE OF ENGINE FAILURE, IT HAS BEEN ONGOING AS OF LAST WEEK, 7/6/2016.

NHTSA ODI #10886240

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.