2009 Volkswagen Routan steering problems

Filed Dec 15, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 104,000 miles · MD

Van has stalled while driving on multiple occasions. Power steering is lost. Vehicle will then start right back up. This is extremely dangerous for a minivan used to transport multiple children. No codes or faults are recorded.

Filed Oct 16, 2020 · Brakes, Electrical · 119,000 miles · CT

Five times in the past 6 months the power in the van basically turns off. The steering becomes next to impossible and the brakes become extremely tight to the point you can't even use them. It is terrifying to have zero control over your car considering I have 4 children. It has happened while I was going only 30mph and also when I was going 45 MPH. It happens when I'm going straight and has also happened while turning. Since the latest issue I refuse to drive anywhere that I can't take back roads to.

Filed Sep 16, 2019 · Engine, Steering · 150,000 miles · PA

First my routan has been in my posession for I believe about 5 years. I check the oil regulary and keep oil changes, tires, and inspections up to date are regular. Since owning it, I have had a huge antifreeze leak (while on vacation), which was an easy fix, but essentially the part melted and had to be replaced, which is absurd! I was having a lot of issues with it not starting. You would have to try to start it over and over, and just when you called a garage it would start (this issue seemed to be fixed when the dealer changed the ignition, per the recall) for the past several months, the govener kickis in, and the vehicle will only go 30mph. It happens infrequently, but seems to becoming more frequent. The solution is to pull over, turn it off, start it back up, and your good to go for days to weeks until it does it again. Typically it happens shortly after starting a trip, and while gaining speed, you suddenly cannot go the speed you would like. I do believe it continues to get more frequent in occurance ****now the scary thing that gets me to file a complaint**** I have seen this listed many times already. My husband was again away on a trip this weekend. He had just done a lot of circle type steering at the gas station trying to park (I mention this because someone else complained of this issue after a round about). He parked. He started the car again, he backed up, and when he tried to turn to get out of the parking spot, there was no steering. He pulled forward. He put it in park, he turned it off. He started it, he drove 2.5 hours home with my 3 kids under 9. He had no issues. What is wrong with the car, I am afraid to drive it. Thankfully he was going 2 MPH, but I have seen cases of people on the interstate. What if I drive it, and we have an accident and my family dies? How can I drive a car that lost steering and feel safe!?

Filed Aug 6, 2018 · Brakes, Electrical · 1 miles · MI

I was driving my 2009 routan this morning (8/6/18) in a round-a-bout when out of blu my steering and brakes completely locked up and my ABS light came on. I had traffic behind me. I almost went over the curb and caused an accident due to this happening. I praise god that I and everyone around was safe. My vehicle has already had the ignition ssswitch replaced twice. I had it checked for codes and nothing came up. I noticed a huge amount of complaints regarrding this. What is it going to take to get this fixed? There are lives on the line. When a vehicle shuts down on the highway that will cause a major accident. Is volkswagen and the federal safety agency willing to live with that knowing that this has been a major issue with this vehicle for some time? How many injuries or deaths do you need to prove to you that this is a safety issue?

Filed Feb 21, 2018 · Brakes, Steering · 120,000 miles · WA

We were driving the vehicle when all of the sudden it stalled! There is no check light on and when it does this we lost all power breaking and steering. This almost happened to us around an elevated corner luckily we had just past the curve when we lost all power. In reading this is a common problem on the town and country routan grand caravan and all associated models. Something should be done due to the danger and potential risk to human life! We bought this van to keep our children safe not have to worry of it will loose power steering at 30 MPH in a canyon corner!

Filed Feb 5, 2018 · Brakes, Engine · 130,000 miles · TN

While taking my grandson to school this morning on a very curvy country road the engine died on my 2009 volkswagon routain. Having no brakes and no power steering made it very difficult to control vehicle. I turned on emergency flashers when car finally stoped turned to off position then restarted engine. This is not the first time this has happened to me and my wife. Problem cannot be diagnosed by dealer why can't chrysler fix this serious problem before someone gets injured or killed. I know as well as the federal safety agency that this has happened to many people. Previous recall fix for ignition switch at wv dealer to solve this problem did not work . Its a shame that many people have to injured or killed by a serious known problem like this before companies are forced to fix them.

Filed Dec 14, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 119,000 miles · NC

Since buying our 2009 routan in the fall of 2016 we have sunk thousands into it trying to get it fixed because of the issues we have had shortly after buying it (ours did not come with a warranty from the vw dealer). At least twice a week, and sometimes more, it stalls while we are driving...usually at low speeds like when we are slowing down to make a turn or slowing down for a stoplight. Usually, all of the dashboard lights and controls will blink and ding repeatedly before stalling. It also stalls when sitting still. It will blink all of the lights, the controls will go crazy and the windshield wipers will go back and forth one time as it stalls. On dec 11 it stalled on a major road in charlotte, nc and I lost all power so I could not even put on my flashers. I have an autistic child who was freaking out because I was trying to get all of the kids to be quiet so I could call my husband as we were sitting in the middle of a busy road. We were in a middle lane and the windows were up so I had to open my door quickly and wave for people to go around us. I kept watching my rear view mirror and praying we wouldn't get hit as cars zipped around us honking. The key was stuck in the ignition since there was no power. My husband was headed towards us and I waved people around us for about 5 minutes while jingling the key and trying everything to get something to work. The power finally came back and the key came out and I was able to restart and get home but my kids are afraid to go anywhere in that van again. We have replaced the battery, the control module (one of the most expensive things we tried), the erg valve, the alternator, and some other parts our mechanic wanted to try. Super eagle auto care has been super helpful in trying to fix it but to no avail. We have learned since buying this vehicle that this is a common problem for vw routan.

Filed Oct 5, 2017 · Electrical, Lights · 145,000 miles · VA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 volkswagen routan. While driving 60 MPH, the contact detected a burning odor without warning. In addition, the contact observed smoke outside and inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the instrument panel, headlights, and radio failed to work. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over, opened the hood, and saw no sign of a fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wire from the ignition switch to the starter had failed (burned) and needed to be replaced. Also, the power steering line failed and leaked. The independent mechanic stated that there were so many electrical failures with the vehicle and recommended her to contact the federal safety agency. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign numbers: 15v194000 and 14v396000 (electrical system: ignition switch). The failure mileage was 145,000.

Filed Jun 17, 2017 · Driver assistance, Engine · 130,000 miles · SC

As we are driving the power steering completely cuts off and will not let you drive - the engine shuts off and your forced into turning the vehicle completely off them back on again. This happened while on the interstate in traffic which nearly caused a collision.

Filed Feb 8, 2017 · Airbags, Steering · 10 miles · NC

Auto - p215/15r16