2011 Volkswagen Routan problems & reliability
175 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (21 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2011 Volkswagen Routan vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 111 | 63% |
| Engine | 48 | 27% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 39 | 22% |
| Power Train | 19 | 11% |
| Unknown OR Other | 17 | 10% |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 9% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 12 | 7% |
| Steering | 11 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 69,448 miles (middle 50% between 53,500 and 85,673 miles), based on 143 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 17, 2025
“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…”
Electrical System · filed Jan 10, 2025
“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…”
Engine · filed May 7, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
453 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan. The 10 most recent:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning regarding counterfeit replacement airbag inflators that are being installed in used vehicles.
DC_VW_CF_Airbag · Other · issued Mar 2, 2026
Identifying and Mixing Engine Coolant
V1917012022548_14 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 12, 2025
Multiple Emissions service action closures
MULT action closures VW · Other · issued Dec 2, 2024
Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available
CampTip_RNA_VW · Other · issued Oct 7, 2024
Fluid requirements
V3718022033975_13 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 17, 2024
Wind & Water Leak Checking
TT 00-24-01 · Other · issued Sep 12, 2024
Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement.
V691901201047916 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 9, 2024
Reporting procedure for A/C compressor replacement regardless of the reason for failure. Update to model year applicability and new warranty GFF labor operation number
V871810204370421 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2023
Helpline & Parts Dept. contact information.
TT 001601_6 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 3, 2023
Automatic Transmission Fluid Requirements
V371802203397511 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 21, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2011 Volkswagen Routan in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2011 Volkswagen Routan?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 69,448 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.