2010 Volkswagen Routan Steering Problems

The vehicle turned off in the drive gear. I lost steering,breaking and control of vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11430144

Incident

Aug 23, 2021

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK APPROX. 30-35 MILES PER HOUR AND MY VAN DIED. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. LUCKILY I WASN'T SERIOUSLY INJURED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. WITHIN A SPAN OF LESS THAN 2 YEARS IVE ALREADY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE BATTERY, AND THE ALTERNATOR IS STILL NEW AND UNDER WARRANTY. THE IGNITION/POWER WINDOWS FUSE CONSTANTLY NEEDS ADJUSTING SO I CAN ROLL MY WINDOW UP OR DOWN. ALL THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON RANDOMLY AS WELL. SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON. NEVER HAD A VEHICLE DIE ON ME WHILE DRIVING DUE TO MANUFACTURERS ISSUES. AFTER READING OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES IM VERY CONFIDENT ITS THE TIPM. SOME COMPLAIN THAT THIS COSTS PEOPLE $1 000S ON A CHANCE THAT YOU CAN GET A COUPLE MORE YEARS OUT OF IT. THE VAN WANTS TO TURN OVER AND CONTINUES CRANKING WHEN KEY FOB IS IN IGNITION BUT DOESN'T TURN OVER. I CANNOT GET IT TO START AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11354495

Incident

Sep 11, 2020

Mileage

132,000 mi

THE ENGINE STALLS AS THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND IT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 8 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 24 MONTHS. WE DISCOVERED THAT 12,000 AND MORE ROUTAN 2009 AND 2010 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SOME FATALITIES REPORTED DUE TO THIS DEFECT: IGNITION MODULS AND ELECTRONIC MODULS. VW AND GM-CHRYSLER ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE VW. DEALER REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AS MY VW ROUTAN SEEMS NOT HAVING BEEN TRACKED DOWN DURING INITIAL RECALLS.

NHTSA ID

11245041

Incident

Aug 13, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

REPORTED ISSUE TO VW RECALL GROUP VIA TELEPHONE 5/13/2019. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO A RECALL THAT TOOK PLACE FOR VW ROUTAN 2009-2010 THAT WERE CREATED BETWEEN THE DATES OF OCTOBER 2019 TO JUNE 2010. OUR VEHICLE WAS CREATED IN AUGUST OF 2010, AND I SUSPECT THE SAME PARTS WERE STILL USED. TWO ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED WITH 2010 VW ROUTAN SEL MINIVAN 4.0L ISSUES STARTED OCCURRING AFTER REPLACING A LOST KEY FOB. KEY FOB WAS ORDERED THROUGH LOCAL VW DEALER (BOB KING VW) AND REPLACED. FIRST ISSUE: CAR WOULD NOT START. PUT KEY INTO IGNITION SWITCH, TURN KEY, THE IGNITION SWITCH CLICKS BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IN ORDER TO START CAR, WAIT AND REPEAT STEPS UNTIL CAR ACTUALLY STARTS. SECOND ISSUE: (HIGHLY DANGEROUS) INTERMITTENT SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING POWER STEERING TO TURN OFF AS WELL AS BRAKES. VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT TURNING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AS WELL AS BRAKING. IN ORDER TO BRAKE YOU HAVE TO APPLY GREAT FORCE TO BREAK SINCE THERE IS NO POWER TO THE CAR. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERED OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS AT LEAST FOUR (4) TIMES WHILE THE PRIMARY DRIVER HAS BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE LAST TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED 5/13/2019 THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A MAJOR ROAD WAY NEAR AN INTERSECTION. EVASIVE MANEUVERS WERE TAKEN TO GET VEHICLE OFF OF ROAD AND INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT OFF THE STREET.

NHTSA ID

11207706

Incident

May 13, 2019

Mileage

131,200 mi

I BELIEVE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY BUT MY VIN DOES NOT COME UP UNDER THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS (15V194000 OR 11V151000). ONE TIME WHEN ACCELERATING UP A BUMPY HILL GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND POWER STEERING WAS NOT AVAILABLE. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN IT OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND TURN IT BACK ON. ANOTHER TIME ON A FLAT BUMPY ROAD, ACCELERATING AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN WITH NO POWER STEERING AVAILABLE. I AGAIN PULLED OVER, PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT.

NHTSA ID

11205482

Incident

May 2, 2019

Mileage

127,000 mi

VAN CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. INABILITY TO STEER, LIMITED BRAKING. CAR GOES COMPLETELY DEAD BUT STILL START BACK ONCE I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR DRIVING OVER 45 WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU.

NHTSA ID

11192547

Incident

Mar 29, 2019

Mileage

129,000 mi

MY VAN SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING FOR THE FOURTH TIME. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP AT A LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY NOW THAN BEFORE (WITH 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH). MY VAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN WIN MODULE RECALL AS THE VIN IS A COUPLE OF DIGITS OFF. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND SCARY.

NHTSA ID

11163515

Incident

Nov 9, 2018

Mileage

114,200 mi

MY VAN SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AGAIN. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES.

NHTSA ID

11163514

Incident

Nov 2, 2018

Mileage

114,000 mi

MY VAN SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AGAIN. I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP AT A LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES.

NHTSA ID

11163512

Incident

Oct 14, 2018

Mileage

114,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 30MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO BRAKE WELL. LOOKING ONLINE THEIR WAS A RECALL ON MY MODEL YEAR AND MAKE OF VAN FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL. I CONTACTED VW AND THEY ALSO STATED MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY.

NHTSA ID

11150122

Incident

Nov 8, 2018

Mileage

177,300 mi

MY VAN HAS SHUT OFF TWICE NOW WHILE DRIVING. BOTH EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TURNING RIGHT, AT A SLOW SPEED ON CITY STREETS (ONE TIME WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE). I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND THE ENGINE APPEARS TO SHUT DOWN (RADIO REMAINS ON). WHEN I FIRST TRIED TO RESTART IT, IT WOULDN'T AND THEN THE SECOND ATTEMPT SOUNDED UNUSUAL BUT IT DID START. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS WELL. BOTH TIMES WERE IN GOOD DRIVING CONDITIONS. AFTER THE FIRST TIME, DUE TO MY RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE, I ONLY USE THE FOB WITH NOTHING ELSE HANGING FROM IT. IN ADDITION, I ALSO HAVE THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY NOT STARTING. I USUALLY GET IT TO START BY FIDDLING WITH THE SHIFTER. OF COURSE, MY VAN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE IGNITION MODULE RECALL, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ABSURD AS IT IS CLEARLY HAPPENING TO A LOT OF US. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS VAN EXCEPT FOR THESE TWO MAJOR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11141053

Incident

Oct 14, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi

2010 VOLKSWAGON ROUTAN HAS STOPPED IN MID TRAFFIC GOING 30-40 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD. LIGHTS AND AUDIO HAVE FLICKERED, THEN TURN OFF. CAR SPONTANEOUSLY STARTS AND STOPS ANY GIVEN TIME IN MOTION AND STANDING STILL, AND CANNOT BE JUMPED TO REVIVE. HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR WITH MY CHILDREN AND HAVE HAD IT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE HAVE HAD IT LESS THAN A YEAR, COMPLETELY UNSAFE. TOLD THE EXACT RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VIN#.

NHTSA ID

11076779

Incident

Mar 7, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CRANKING SOUND WHEN RIGHT TURNS AND LEFT TURN IS MADE. APPARENT THAT AN ACCIDENT CAN EASILY OCCUR IF THIS PERSISTS. THE DEALERSHIP IN GREATNECK NY WAS NOT ABLE CORRECT THIS PROBLEM DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND TURNS ARE MADE BY THE DRIVER. THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED OVER THE YEARS - SOMETIME IN AUGUST 2012, I BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED FOR A PROBLEM RELATED TO THE STEERING WHEEL. I STILL HAVE A RELATED PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE MY 5 CHILDREN. BECUASE THE DEALER COULD NOT RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOW AROSE AGAIN. THIS COMPLAINT IS NOW SUBMITTED. I DO HAVE AN INVOICE WHICH STATES MY COMPLAINT BACK IN 2012.

NHTSA ID

10924318

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V194000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10839827

Incident

Oct 15, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR THAT RECEIVED A RECALL. THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF, LOSES POWER AND ALL STEERING, BRAKING AND SO ON. IT MAKES THE VEHICLE VERY DANGEROUS. THE OTHER VEHICLES IN THIS YEAR ALL HAD BAD IGNITION SWITCHES BUT VW REFUSES TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE AND OTHERS LIKE IT OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THEY NEED TO EXPAND THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE MORE VEHICLES OF THE 2010 MODEL. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND IS SCARY WHEN IT JUST CUTS OUT ON YOU WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING 30-40 MPH PLUS.

NHTSA ID

10821085

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

IN APRIL 2015 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2010 VW ROUTAN, MAYBE A WEEK OR SO LATER IT STARTED TO STALL WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. I TOOK IT TO AN IMPORT DEALER LOCALLY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE EGR VALVE WAS BAD. THEY REPLACED IT, WHICH COST ME $400, AND PUT A NEW GAS CAP ON IT. IN JULY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, HAD THE CODES RUN AT A PARTS STORE AND IT WAS THE EGR VALVE AGAIN. TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP THAT DID THE FIRST REPAIR BECAUSE IT STILL HAD A PARTS AND LABOR WARRANTEE WITH THEM. THEY REPLACED IT AGAIN. NOW, IN SEPTEMBER, MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AND AGAIN IT SAYS IT'S THE EGR VALVE. I HAVE CALLED THE SHOP TO GET IT IN TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN, WAITING ON A CALL BACK. THIS ISSUE IS QUITE SCARY BECAUSE IT HAS AND PROBABLY WILL AGAIN STALL OUT ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO TRY TO PULL OVER AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO RESTART IT. I CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO A VW DEALERSHIP AT MY OWN COST TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED, AND BASICALLY TELL ME WHAT I ALREADY KNOW, I AM NOT SPENDING ANOTHER $400 TO REPLACE THIS VALVE WHEN I HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT ONCE THIS YEAR. BECAUSE I REFUSE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE COVERED UNDER THE ORIGINAL SHOP WARRANTEE VW REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10763450

Incident

May 4, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY MINI-VAN SHUT OFF/ STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. EVERY TIME IT STALLED I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ZONE OR IN FRONT OF A LIGHT WHERE I HAD TO PRESSED THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR FOR OVER 30 SECONDS. I SEND IT TO VW SERVICE FOR REPAIR BUT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. I AM TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN ITS THE NEXT TIME IT WILL STALL AGAIN WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10746539

Incident

Jul 29, 2015

Mileage

70,000 mi

2010 ROUTAN WITH 26K MILES PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND MOST LIKELY HAS DONE SO SINCE I BOUGHT IT SINCE THE TIRES NEED REPLACING. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 18K AND NOW NEED TO BE DONE AGAIN. VW DENIES THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH VEHICLES PULLING TO THE RIGHT. OPENED CASE 130240300 WITH VW. THEY REFUSE TO COVER THE COST TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE PULLING AND TIRE WEAR. RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS POSTINGS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505990

Incident

Apr 11, 2013

Mileage

26,000 mi

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES FOR REPAIR AND TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. ALIGNMENT PERFORMED EACH TIME, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUES TO PULL TO RIGHT. DEALER AND VWOA STATE THAT BECAUSE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN SPEC THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. I INDICATED THAT PROBLEM IS LIKELY WITH STEERING RACK, SUSPENSION OR SUB FRAME, BUT DEALER AND VWOA INSISTED THAT BECAUSE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN SPEC THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY WILL DO. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND DRIVING VEHICLE REQUIRES CONSTANT PRESSURE ON WHEEL TO KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10457247

Incident

Apr 4, 2011

2010 ROUTAN WITH LESS THAN 10K MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF LEAVING US WITH NO POWER BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING AND VERY LITTLE CONTROL OF THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR THE CAR TO STOP. HE THEN PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT. WE TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE. THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED TO ME THE DAY BEFORE AND AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE THAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING I WAS DOING. VW SERVICE CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY CAN KEEP IT UNTIL THEY DO. WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND WILL NOT TRUST OUR LIVES OR THE LIVES OF OUR CHILD AND FRIENDS IN THIS CAR. I HAVE HEARD MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND WAITING FOR A CALL BACK. ALSO WAITING FOR NEWS ON OUR VEHICLE..DAY 2 AT THE SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384398

Incident

Feb 22, 2010

Mileage

9,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING INTO THE RIGHT DIRECTION INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED TWICE AND THE REAR AXLE WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED FOLLOWING REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4.

NHTSA ID

10359146

Incident

Jul 24, 2010

Mileage

4 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN ABNORMALLY PULLING TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STEERING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE A WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERFORMED AND TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS HIS WITH COMPLAINTS OF THE VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF A POTENTIAL CRASH INVOLVED WITH THE FAILURE OCCURRING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. UPDATED 01/26/11*LJ UPDATED 04/18/11

NHTSA ID

10359061

Incident

Sep 9, 2010

Mileage

200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND STEERING GOES OUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL STOP WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE STEERING WILL FAIL. IF THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED THE TRANSMISSION WILL WORK, BUT THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT VERY HARD AND THERE IS A LOUD BANGING SOUND AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE GIVES NO WARNING BEFORE THE FAILURES OCCUR. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 659.

NHTSA ID

10356966

Incident

Sep 3, 2010

Mileage

659 mi