8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$930
Average Mileage:
85,000 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace TIPM (2 reports)
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problem #2

Feb 152018

Routan SEL 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,000 miles

I've only driven Volkswagens my entire life and I have never had so many expensive issues with a car. Volkswagen is a great brand and you pay more money for the quality and dependability but with the Routan it has been a mess from the beginning. We owned our Routan less than a year when the transmission went out. The check engine light will not go off and since it won't go off my remote start won't work. The engine thermostat is bad, the CO2 sensors are all showing they are bad, something kept draining our battery and it took us $200 to find wires that were crossed. The starter started hard starting so we replaced the fuel injector for a whopping $600 and that still didn't fix the problem. So our mechanic looked up what might fix it and has found that Routans computers falsely relay to the starter that there is an issue. So now we are waiting for a part that bypasses the computer to let the car start normally. T

he other day when I was driving it just shut off and I had to drift out of an intersection to the side of the road and restart it. I feel like I am holding my breath wondering what will happen next. I have loved Volkswagens but this has me seriously considering whether I will ever buy one again. I'm deeply disappointed that they came out with such a crappy car.

- Kelli S., Spokane, WA, US

problem #1

Oct 012015

Routan SEL ?

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

Had weird electrical issues for a while (last year or so). Wipers would come on by themselves, air would turn off by itself, lights would come on or off, etc. Then for the last couple of weeks, starting the van became unreliable. It would try to start, but just not get there. It would take several tries to get it started. Then sometimes it would turn off by itself after getting it started. Occasionally I felt as if the van was giving itself more gas when I was driving even though I did not have my foot on the pedal. The starting problem got so bad, that it simply was dead in the water one morning... no power at all. Nothing worked. Had a friend jump me, and after struggling to start, got it started. Took it to a mechanic who said the battery was fine and it was starting fine. However, after an oil change, it would not start again. Took SEVERAL tries, and eventually got it started and took it to VW. They found that the TIPM module was not correctly sending signal to fuel pump and had to be replaced. I just got it back, after spending $924.77. This should be a recall!!

- mwerner, Gulf Breeze, FL, US