The brakes randomly stop working. At random times you go to brake and have to push the pedal all the way to the floor to start stopping. 2nd issue. The car dies and looses all power at intermittent times while driving. The car has to be restarted while driving. Could be driving 70 on a hwy or 30 on a residential street. Either coast to the side of the road to restart... or quickly put the car in neutral and restart it while driving. Both of these have almost caused wrecks several times. Unknown own causes to both as they happen at random and different times.
The worst 2011 Volkswagen Routan problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical111
- Engine50
- Fuel system41
- Transmission19
- Brakes15
- Driver assistance12
- Steering11
- Acceleration8
- Airbags6
- Body5
- Seats2
- Lights1
- Locks1
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2011 Volkswagen Routan
Stalling 43Won't start 39Fuel pump 38Loss of power 11Check engine light 10Jerking 8Battery drain 7
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan 453
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The federal safety agency has issued an urgent warning regarding counterfeit replacement airbag inflators...
- Identifying and Mixing Engine Coolant
- Multiple Emissions service action closures
- Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available
- Fluid requirements
- Wind & Water Leak Checking
- Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement.
- Reporting procedure for A/C compressor replacement regardless of the reason for failure
- Helpline & Parts Dept
- Automatic Transmission Fluid Requirements
2011 Volkswagen Routan fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 25 | 20 |
What 2011 Volkswagen Routan owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
loss of steering while driving, fluid loss multiple times since late september 2024(all while driving and no lights or warnings came on), 2 snapped serpentine belts, key ignition sticking(would not turn), dashboard not lighting up, rpm no longer rests below 1.5 - 2, car struggles to accelerate(especially uphill), car turns over and struggles to start, even though has newer battery. 1/9/25 driving to an appointment, upon reaching destination, a pop sound. No smell, no warnings came up on dashboard. Upon leaving, saw fluid leak, headed straight to dealership, at which a massive amount of fluid began pouring out of vehicle..in exact same area as original issue from 8/31/24.
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 190,000.
Car has issues starting as if fuel pump isnt coming on... also vehicle shut down in middle of driving down highway would not restart
The vehicle is shutting off while driving.
While driving on a highway at 65 Mph, vehicle shut down, lost brakes, steering, and all power, had to coast to a stop, narrowly avoiding a collision. Upon exhaustive review, TIPM was faulty, causing starting issues, intermittent power loss, and fuel pump issues. As this van is manufactured by Chrysler (for VW) and their (identical) model has the same issue, it was known and recalled, it is appalling that no recall exists for this VW model. These vans are being financed and bought by families, and like us driven daily with children in them. The issue is widespread, very well known, but as in our case, not disclosed by dealerships as no official action has ever been taken, and no official record exists. We have learned all about it through trial and error, and are having to pay for possibly fatal errors committed on the part of the manufacturer - who, to state again, has in fact already recalled the vehicles due to it being such a wide spread and dangerous issue with a primarily family vehicle. Again, for clarity, the VW Routan is no longer in production, but when it was it was manufactured by Chrysler for VW, and is part for part a Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town and Country. Why is this critical recall in existence for only a portion of the vehicles? This has become a major issue as we have to continue reducing this van until we can sell or trade it.
This is 2011 VW ROUTAN. When the mileage reached exactly 100k both sliding doors shuts. When I put it on manual control button overhead it’s not working in both doors. It’s parked when this happens.
Thé engine malfunction was observed and confirmed by the Mecanicien and the cause was from the manufacture. I'm willing to submit the car for any inspection. The car is still drivable, but I have to report it. I have been trying to call since longtime in vain. Thank
The van totally looses all power while driving. It happens multiple times per week. While driving the van dies, it takes about 3-5 seconds then the power comes back, we can then drive again. When it happens, sometimes the power doesn't come back on its own, we then have to put it in neutral and restart it, then can drive as normal.
My 2011 VW Routan completely lost power on the freeway while driving in heavy traffic. The steering completely locked up (not lost power steering), locked up and all components died while moving. It took two people to break the steering wheel loose so that the van could be pushed out of the road by TDOT. We had the van towed and once removed from the truck it started and ran like normal. Our 3 kids were also in the van which makes the situation extremely hazardous. Previous to this, we paid $1,500 to the VW dealer to replace the TIPM unit because the van wouldn’t start on many occasions. The dealer stated that he knew Chrysler had issued a recall on their vehicles with these same issues but VW hadn’t taken any action. Other info… no dash lights are/were on. Dealer can’t seem to reproduce the issue. TDOT Officer said he’d never seen a vehicle that locked the steering while the car was in motion. This was worse than it loosing all power.
Compare the 2011 Volkswagen Routan
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Questions about the 2011 Volkswagen Routan
Is the 2011 Volkswagen Routan reliable?
Owners have filed 175 complaints about the 2011 Volkswagen Routan, 2.8 times a typical Routan model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2011 Volkswagen Routan year score?
The 2011 Volkswagen Routan scores 35 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volkswagen Routan: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Volkswagen Routan?
Electrical system, with 111 complaints, typically around 71,000 miles. Next is engine (50).
How many recalls does the 2011 Volkswagen Routan have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Volkswagen Routan have the most electrical problems?
The Volkswagen Routan model years with the most electrical complaints are 2009 (151 complaints), 2010 (150 complaints) and 2011 (111 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2011 Volkswagen Routan get?
Official estimates for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan range from 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.6L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 17 city and 25 highway.
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