2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN Complaints

THE REAR TAILGATE OF MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN OPENED UP AUTOMATICALLY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN GEAR AND IN MOTION WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IT SHOULD NOT DO EVEN IF THE POWER TAILGATE BUTTON IS PRESSED. THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING PULLED INTO THE GARAGE WHICH RESULTED IN THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERING UPON CONTACT WITH THE GARAGE DOOR OPENING. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY AND NOTHING WAS FOUND IN THE DIAGNOSTICS THAT POINTED TO A FAILURE OF ANY SORT. THERE WERE PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES EXPERIENCED WITH THE CAR NOT REPORTED TO THE DEALER, INCLUDING WITH THE TAILGATE, THAT WERE NOT AS SERIOUS AND THAT CORRECTED THEMSELVES AFTER SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR. *TR

HEATING/VENTILATION/AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL PANEL IS MOUNTED LOW IN THE CENTER DASH AREA AND IS ILLUMINATED IN BLUE, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ IN DAYLIGHT. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO TAKE HIS/HER EYES OFF THE ROAD WHEN MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SETTINGS AND CAN RESULT IN A CRASH. THE 2010 MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE USES WHITE LIGHTING, CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. 2009 MODELS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR A RETROFIT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 10 MPH THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT EFFORT. THE ANTI-SKID WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER REPEATED BRAKE APPLICATION HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE BECAUSE THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 9,000. UPDATED 12/7/09 *CN UPDATED 12/08/09

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25MPH WHEN THE ONE MONTH OLD VEHICLE JUST SUDDENLY FELT LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A HALT. THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. I GOT IN THE CAR AGAIN TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED. IMMEDIATELY HAD IT TOWED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THERE IT STAYED FOR 13 DAYS. THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WERE REPAIRED/REPLACE: FAULTY TRANSMISSION SENSOR, REPLACED SENSOR. ALSO, ABS STEERING ANGLE SENSOR ERRATIC PERFORMANCE. FAULTY STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. REPLACED SENSOR. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE THIRD ROW IS A BENCH SEAT, WHICH HAS LATCH COMPATIBILITY IN ONE PLACE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT A CHILD SAFETY SEAT (BOOSTER OR INFANT SEAT) CAN BE INSTALLED USING THE LATCH SYSTEM IN THE CENTER SEAT OF THE THIRD ROW. WHEN A BOOSTER SEAT OR AN INFANT SEAT ARE, IN FACT, INSTALLED IN THIS THIRD ROW, THE CHILD IS ACTUALLY POSITIONED IN BETWEEN THE OUTBOARD SEAT AND THE CENTER SEAT, DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE LATCH "BARS", AND THE CHILD'S HEAD IS IN BETWEEN THE CENTER AND OUTBOARD HEADREST, AND IS NOT PROTECTED BY EITHER HEADREST. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT NEITHER THE CENTER SEATBELT OR OUTBOARD SEATBELT FITS ACROSS MY CHILD AS IT SHOULD - IT IS NOT ACROSS HIS SHOULDER. I TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL VW AND THEY TOLD ME TO CALL VOLKSWAGEN DIRECTLY; WHEN I DID, I WAS PUT IN TOUCH WITH A MEMBER OF THE SAFETY TEAM WHO COMPLETELY DISMISSED MY CONCERNS AND TOLD ME THAT IF MY LATCH DIDN'T SEEM TO BE IN THE CORRECT POSITIONS, THEN I SHOULD JUST NOT USE THE LATCH. WHEN I ASKED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT WOULD TAKE MY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY (THE CHILD IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE SEATBELT OR HEADREST WHEN USING THE LATCH IN THE THIRD ROW AT ALL!!!), I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK TO AN THAT ALL THE ROUTANS WERE MADE THAT WAY AS A "CONVENIENCE" FOR FOLDING DOWN THE SEATS. *TR

MY 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN SLIPPED INTO REVERSE WHILE I WAS BEHIND IT TODAY RUNNING ME OVER AND CAUSING A LEG INJURY. *TR

BACK UP CAMERA ON THE VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN MINIVAN IS UNUSABLE. VIDEO HAS NO CONTRAST, LOW COLOR LEVEL, LACKS DETAIL, WRONG COLORS, ETC. THIS CAMERA IS A HAZARD FOR ANYONE THAT TRIES TO USE IT FOR BACKING UP. SAME CAMERA AS ON ALL CHRYSLER MINIVANS. ADDITIONALLY WHEN THE VAN IS EQUIPPED WITH THE CAMERA, THEY DELETE THE BACKUP SENSORS, LEAVING NO AIDS FOR DETERMINING IF THE BLIND SPOTS ARE CLEAR. *TR

I AM WRITING YOU DUE TO AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO MY CHILD CONCERNING THE VW ROUTON MINIVAN. WE WERE LOOKING AT ONE ON DISPLAY AT HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE THIS PAST SATURDAY, THE 4TH OF JULY., 2009. THE BACK HATCH WAS OPEN AND MY 7 YEAR OLD FOUND BUTTONS THAT POWERED THE LAST ROW OF SEATS. THESE BUTTONS LIFTED THE SEATS UP AND DOWN. TO MY HORROR I ALL OF SUDDEN HEARD MY 3 YEAR OLD SCREAMING. HE WAS STANDING IN THE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE LAST ROW OF SEATS WITH HIS FOOT LODGED IN BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE FLOOR. THE POWER LIFT WAS STILL RUNNING AND SMASHING HIS FOOT. THERE WAS NO SENSOR THAT STOPPED THE POWER SEAT. I FEEL THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A CHILD'S HEAD GOT LODGED IN THIS MECHANISM. LUCKILY MY CHILD HAD CROCK SHOES ON AND WAS ABLE TO PULL HIS FOOT OUT OF HIS SHOE BUT THERE WAS QUITE AN INDENTATION MARK FROM WHERE THE SEAT WAS PUSHING ON HIS FOOT. THE DOORS IN MINIVANS HAVE SENSORS--I BELIEVE THESE POWER LIFT BACK ROW SEATS SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF SENSOR. I WOULD HATE TO HAVE A CHILD GET KILLED BY THIS. *TR

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN SE WITH BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS. OUR 4 YEAR OLD SON WENT TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR BY PULLING ON THE HANDLE, AND AT THE SAME TIME MY HUSBAND WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR BY PUSHING THE "DOOR OPEN" BUTTON ON THE KEY. AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE DOOR ENDED UP CLOSING COMPLETELY, AND LATCHING, ON MY SON'S HAND. IT ALSO WOULD ONLY OPEN ONCE MY HUSBAND FORCEFULLY PULLED THE DOOR OPEN. OF COURSE HIS HAND IMMEDIATELY SWELLED UP AND WE VISITED THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, HAD XRAY'S TAKEN, AND THERE WAS NO INCIDENCE OF A FRACTURE. WHEN WE REPORTED THIS DIRECTLY TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO BRING IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND HAVE DIAGNOSTICS DONE. THE RESULT? "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR VEHICLE." THEY WENT ON TO EXPLAIN TO US THAT THE ANTI PINCH PROTECTION IS WORKING, BUT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SENSE SUCH A SMALL OBJECT. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ASSURED US THAT THIS MATTER WAS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY, AND THAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE DOOR WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN WE ADDRESSED ANY FURTHER ACTIONS, IE REPLACEMENT OF DOOR, VEHICLE, OR TERMINATION OF OUR LEASE AGREEMENT, WE WERE TOLD, "WE ARE SORRY FOR THIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT, BUT ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND THERE IS NOTHING MORE WE CAN DO FOR YOU." WHEN WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN THAT OUR 4 YEAR OLD SON IS PETRIFIED OF OUR CAR, AND THAT HE REFUSES TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE BY HIMSELF, LET ALONE OPEN THE DOOR ALONE, WE WERE TOLD, "I AM SURE HE WILL GET OVER IT AFTER A WHILE." THESE ANSWERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US. FOR A CAR THAT IS MARKETED AS A FAMILY MOBILE AND A SAFE VEHICLE, WE FEEL THAT IT DOES NOT LIVE UP TO IT'S CLAIMS. IT MAKES NO SENSE WHY AN AUTOMATIC DOOR WOULD BE DESIGNED TO SENSE SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A CHILD'S HAND, LIMB, OR OTHER BODY PART. WHAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH A MINIVAN? A CHILD! WE FEEL WE HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED DUE TO THE LACK OF CARING OR IMPORTANCE THAT THIS MATTER HAS BEEN GIVEN. *TR