2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN Complaints

BRAKE ROTORS WARP VERY QUICKLY ON THIS VEHICLE (WHICH IS ALSO MADE BY CHRYSLER). DURING HEAVY BRAKING AT 40MPH THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES VERY HEAVILY DUE TO WARPED BRAKE ROTORS (HAPPENS UNDER 12000MILES). DON'T SEE HOW ANTILOCK SENSORS CAN WITHSTAND THIS VIBRATION AND GET AN ACCURATE READING TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM LOCKING THE WHEELS. I HAVE ALREADY HAD INCIDENTS WHERE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT 40MPH HOUR THAT I HAVE SKIDDED BUT WAS SMART ENOUGH TO LET OFF ONCE I REALIZED THE ABS WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND RE-APPLIED THE BRAKES.VW AND DEALER ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND REPLACE THE ROTORS WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE AS THEY CLAIM. IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IN A BAD ACCIDENT THINKING THAT ABS BRAKES AND THERE BRAKING SYSTEM IS RELIABLE. HIGH SPEED BRAKING IS NOT SOMETHING YOU DO EVERYDAY BUT IN AN EMERGENCY AND THAT'S WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOUR BRAKES ARE WARPED AND IN NEED OF REPAIR!!! BUT IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMER BEFORE STOPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PREVIOUSLY WHO REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECENT FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

OUR ROUTAN HAS "STARTED ITSELF" MULTIPLE TIMES. IN EACH INSTANCE, WITHOUT INTENTIONALLY STARTING THE IGNITION (KEYS WERE IN PURSE/HANDBAG UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS), WE HAVE FOUND THE VEHICLE ON AND IDLING. MOST RECENTLY, WE HAPPENED (FORTUITOUSLY) TO FIND THE VEHICLE RUNNING IN OUR ENCLOSED GARAGE. THE GARAGE IS ATTACHED TO OUR HOME AND WE FELT, GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTAL DEATH IF NOT DISCOVERED IN A TIMELY FASHION, WE NEEDED TO ALERT AUTHORITIES OF THE (EITHER) DESIGN FLAW OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. WHILE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IS CERTAINLY A STRONG POSSIBILITY (WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH IT IN THIS VEHICLE), EVEN IF THE REMOTE IGNITION KEY WERE "FUNCTIONAL" WE FEEL THE LACK OF BARRIERS TO ACCIDENTALLY STARTING THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FOR INSTANCE, IF THE KEYS ARE IN A PURSE AND SIMPLY MOVING THE PURSE IS ENOUGH TO START THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THE KEY "WORKED", IT IS FAR TOO EASY TO ACCIDENTALLY START THE VEHICLE. THIS IS WHAT HAS OCCURRED IN EACH INSTANCE (KEYS IN A PURSE, NO HANDS DIRECTLY TOUCHING THE KEYS). A SAFER DESIGN MIGHT INVOLVE A CODE TO BE PUNCHED IN VS SIMPLY PRESSING ONE BUTTON. GIVEN THAT MANY FAMILIES KEEP THEIR VEHICLE IN AN ATTACHED, ENCLOSED GARAGE, ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING THE VEHICLE COULD BE DEADLY IF CARBON MONOXIDE WERE TO BUILD UP AND ENTER THE HOME. *TR

ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND POWER BRAKING LOST. LIGHTING AND RADIO WERE STILL ON. WAS BARELY ABLE TO VEHICLE TO A STOP BY PUSHING EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKE, BRAKES WERE VERY UNRESPONSIVE. ONCE STOPPED, WAS ABLE TO TURN IGNITION OFF AND RESTART VEHICLE. *TR

WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON I-90 IN NYS. DASHBOARD INDICATED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, CHECKED PRESSURE. TIRES SEEMED FINE. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES AND THE TIRE WENT COMPLETELY FLAT ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY. LUCKILY I WAS IN A SPOT THAT I COULD PULL OVER. PLACED SPARE "DOUGHNUT" ON VAN AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO DUNN TIRE. DUNN TIRE PROFESSIONAL INDICATED THAT THE TPS WAS CORRODED, FELL OFF AND POPPED THE TIRE. THE THREE OTHER TPS ON THE OTHER TIRES WERE ALSO EXAMINED. THE TIRE PROFESSIONAL INDICATED THAT THEY WERE CORRODED AS WELL. *TR

THE 09 VW ROUTAN HAS NEEDED BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED EVERY 9 MONTHS. TO DATE VW HAS COVERED THE COST OF REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY HOWEVER HAVE YET TO MAKE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS.

BOUGHT THE VAN IN SEPT OF 2009 WITH APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES. WERE TOLD IT WAS A DEMO VEHICLE FOR AUTO SHOWS. HAD TO BRING IT BACK WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR BRAKE ISSUES...POUNDING-PULSATING WHEN STOPPING. BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS CONTINUALLY PULSATE. PROBLEM IS WORSE WHEN STOPPING ON THE DOWNHILL OR WHEN BRAKES ARE HEATED OR PRESSURED. FEEL LIKE WE LOSE BREAKING ABILITY WHEN BREAKING ON THE DOWNHILL. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN MULTIPLE TIMES TO HAVE THE SITUATION CORRECTED. UNDER WARRANTEE AGREEMENT, ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED A COUPLE OF TIMES, PADS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AT VOLKSWAGON'S EXPENSE. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. LAST SERVICE (5/10/11) AT VOLKSWAGON DEALERSHIP, BRAKES WERE INSPECTED AND WE WERE TOLD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS NEEDED FIXING INCLUDING FRONT AND REAR ROTORS RESURFACED, PADS, ETC. BUT EVEN THOUGH CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTEE, THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM. VOLKSWAGON HAS RECORDS OF SERVICE TO OUR VAN SO KNOW OF THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES FROM THE TIME WE PURCHASED IT. WE HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER OWNER WHO IS EXPERIENCING SAME ISSUE WITH HER BRAKES. WE FEEL THAT VOLKSWAGON NEEDS TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AS OBVIOUSLY REPLACING ROTORS AND PADS DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE USE THIS CAR TO TRAVEL BETWEEN HOMES IN CT AND FL AND FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM AND SERVICED AT VOLKSWAGON IN AND ALSO SERVICED AT IN CLEARWATER, FL. LAST SERVICE, WHEN THEY REFUSED TO COVER COST OF REPAIRS TO BRAKES WAS AT IN FL. WE HAVE COMPLETE SET OF SERVICE RECORDS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

MY WIFE (AND 8 MONTH OLD SON) WERE DRIVING WHEN THE VAN SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VAN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VAN. SHE WAS ABLE TO AVOID A REAR-END COLLISION WITH A TRACTOR-TRAILER THAT WAS BEHIND HER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEED AND WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS A DELAYED RESPONSE WITH AN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHO STATED THE BRAKES WERE NOT COMPATIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE WEIGHT CAPACITY. THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS WERE REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

VW ROUTAN 2009-THE BRAKING SYSTEM AFTER 6 WEEKS STARTED TO SHAKE AND AT TIMES I HAVE COME CLOSE TO NOT COMING TO A FULL STOP DUE TO THE VIOLENT VIBRATION IT CAUSED. I AM THINKING THAT IF I DON'T EASE UP ON THE BRAKES THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO EXPLODE. THIS CONTINUES EVEN AFTER REQUESTING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE. NOW AT 18000 MILES I AM REQUIRING TO REPLACE ROTORS AND BRAKES. $$$. UNFAIR. WITH ALL THE RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE, I AM TEMPTED TO TRADE IN.. I USE TO LOVE AND TRUST THE VW REPUTATION:(( TIME TO CHANGE!! *TR