2011 Volkswagen ROUTAN
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2011 Volkswagen ROUTAN has 302 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.8x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (37% of all complaints), specifically: driving down i70 west bound going 70 mph in indiana and engine turned off lost power every light on dash came on and the was a blinking red light in center of dash. some how i made it over to the edge of the road and put it in park. the van would not start. i noticed i was on the white line and. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.
302
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
3.8x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
111 complaints- • DRIVING DOWN I70 WEST BOUND GOING 70 MPH IN INDIANA AND ENGINE TURNED OFF LOST POWER EVERY LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON AND THE WAS A BLINKING RED LIGHT IN CENTER OF DASH. SOME HOW I MADE IT OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I NOTICED I WAS ON THE WHITE LINE AND
- • I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT AN ACCIDENT MY WIFE WAS IN ON 12/06/2012. SHE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY ANOTHER DRIVER. SHE HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THEY WERE ON A HIGHWAY AND THEY WERE GOING 55MPH AND THE DRIVER THAT HIT THEM HEAD ON WAS GOING AROUND 20MPH ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT. THER
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS WOULD OPEN INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE DOOR MOTOR FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING. THE VE
“DRIVING DOWN I70 WEST BOUND GOING 70 MPH IN INDIANA AND ENGINE TURNED OFF LOST POWER EVERY LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON AND THE WAS A BLINKING RED LIGHT IN CENTER OF DASH. SOME HOW I MADE IT OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I NOTICED I WAS ON THE WHITE LINE AND”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
50 complaints- • 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
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN STOPPING. THE VEHICLE ALSO JERKED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED ON ITS OWN AND WOULD NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TI
- • DRIVING DOWN I70 WEST BOUND GOING 70 MPH IN INDIANA AND ENGINE TURNED OFF LOST POWER EVERY LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON AND THE WAS A BLINKING RED LIGHT IN CENTER OF DASH. SOME HOW I MADE IT OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I NOTICED I WAS ON THE WHITE LINE AND
“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”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
41 complaints- • 7/2/14 - AFTER BEING IDLE FOR 1HR THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL REPEAT ATTEMPTS IT DID. IT WOULD CRANK AS NORMAL, NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. 8/8/14 - AFTER 3HRS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING WE STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS. ECO FUEL NEVER USED THE SAME CRANK ISSUE OCCURRED AS 7/2. 8
- • VAN WOULD NOT START LIKE NORMAL. SOMETIMES IT WOULD, OTHER TIMES IT WOULD CRANK, IDLE, THEN SHUT OFF, OR CRANK WITHOUT STARTING AND WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY TURN THE KEY BACK TO THE OFF POSITION TO STOP THE CRANKING, OR CRANK WITH FOOT ON GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED SO IT WOULD NOT STALL SO IT WOULD START.
- • THIS CAR WAS ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED BY CHRYSLER AND SOLD BY VW. THE INITIAL PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE RELATED TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THE CAR WOULD TRY TO CRANK BUT NOT START. IT ACTUALLY STALLED AS WELL. WE TOOK IT TO A DEALER WHO CONTINUED GUESSING AT THE PROBLEM AND FINALLY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP.
“7/2/14 - AFTER BEING IDLE FOR 1HR THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL REPEAT ATTEMPTS IT DID. IT WOULD CRANK AS NORMAL, NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. 8/8/14 - AFTER 3HRS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING WE STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS. ECO FUEL NEVER USED THE SAME CRANK ISSUE OCCURRED AS 7/2. 8”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
19 complaints- • 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 T
- • MY 2011 ROUTAN SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE I, WITH MY KID ON BOARD, WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN MARCH 2014. CAN YOU IMAGINE A VEHICLE STOPPING IN A FLOW OF VEHICLES AT 70+ MPH? ALL LIGHTS WERE ON. I MANAGED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE DEALER
- • I STARTED MY 2011 VW ROUTAN THIS MORNING AND AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE QUIT. I HAD ALL ELECTRICAL POWER THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND STARTED IT AGAIN THOUGH IT WAS HESITANT TO START. IT STARTED AFTER 3 SECONDS AND I ALLOWED IT
“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 T”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
18 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A RECARO PERFORMANCE SPORT (NA) REARFACING INFANT SEAT, MODEL NUMBER: 386.01 (NA). THE SEAT WAS LOCATED IN A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE SEAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST OF 2014. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A NOTCH IN THE ADJUSTER LEVER, WHICH WAS IN THE LOCATION OF THE LEG SPRI
- • MULTIPLE INSTANCES. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL RESTART AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. I HAD A SEMI TO THE RIGHT AND ANOTHER SEMI BEHIND ME WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. VERY SCARY! I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TH
- • TAKATA RECALL.I BOUGHT A VW ROUTAN IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WITH 77,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK I HAD IT I WENT OUT TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED. NEXT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW ITS GOTTEN SO BAD IT TAKES 20 TRYS BEFORE IT STARTS. NOW MY TRANS. IS JERK
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A RECARO PERFORMANCE SPORT (NA) REARFACING INFANT SEAT, MODEL NUMBER: 386.01 (NA). THE SEAT WAS LOCATED IN A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE SEAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST OF 2014. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A NOTCH IN THE ADJUSTER LEVER, WHICH WAS IN THE LOCATION OF THE LEG SPRI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 302 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: DRIVING DOWN I70 WEST BOUND GOING 70 MPH IN INDIANA AND ENGINE TURNED OFF LOST POWER EVERY LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON AND THE WAS A BLINKING RED LIGHT IN CENTER OF DASH. SOME HOW I MADE IT OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I NOTICED I WAS ON THE WHITE LINE AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: 7/2/14 - AFTER BEING IDLE FOR 1HR THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL REPEAT ATTEMPTS IT DID. IT WOULD CRANK AS NORMAL, NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. 8/8/14 - AFTER 3HRS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING WE STOPPED TO FILL UP WITH GAS. ECO FUEL NEVER USED THE SAME CRANK ISSUE OCCURRED AS 7/2. 8
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: 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 T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Volkswagen ROUTAN — Year Comparison
How does 2011 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 302
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 3
- Crash reports
- 5
- Injury reports
- 27
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
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