Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Routan, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system111
- Engine48
- Fuel/propulsion system39
- Power train19
- Unknown or other17
- Service brakes15
- Electronic stability control (esc)12
- Steering11
- Vehicle speed control8
- Air bags6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 21 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2011 Routan vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2011 Volkswagen Routan failed the safety check 2.70% of the time — 9% more often than the average 2011 passenger car (2.49%). Median odometer at inspection: 128,069 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Volkswagen Routan VAN FWD | — | 16.4 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.8–16.4 L/100 km (about 14–20 mpg US), CO₂ 262–271 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routan FFV · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.7 | 9.4 | 11.8 |
| Routan FFV · Minivan · E85 ethanol | 19.1 | 13.1 | 16.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2011 Volkswagen Routan.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2011 Volkswagen Routan: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 10253483 | Engine Exhaust Flap Limited Warranty Extension |
| 10253439 | Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance Program ? Gasoline Engines (Except Routan) - REVISED |
| 10253177 | Satellite Radio Overview |
| 10252942 | Damage to Data Link Connector (DLC) from Aftermarket Devices (Cannot Communicate with Vehicle OBD System) |
| 10252941 | Washer Level Sensor |
| 10252940 | Cluster Warning Lights Coming On, Windshield Wipers Will Not Turn Off, and/or Headlights Will Not Shut Off |
| 10252937 | Vehicles equipped with Immobilizer 4 (Download) ? Adapting Keys after Vehicle Lock Set Replacement |
| 10252922 | Washer Level Sensor |
| 10252918 | Turn Signals Will Not Activate after TIPM Replacement |
| 10252916 | Coding Information for Replacing ?AC? Suffix Radios with ?AF? Suffix Replacement Unit |
| 10252908 | iPod Connection Tip |
| 10252902 | Bluetooth Compatibility |
| 10252900 | GPS Antenna Concerns |
| 10252225 | Vehicles Equipped with Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone ? Pairing of Android Phones |
| 10252221 | All Navigation Radios-All Models |
| 10252220 | All Vehicles with Bluetooth Phone Kit Installed ? Streaming Audio from Phone to Radio |
| 10252208 | AC Compressor Replacement, Refrigerant Circuit Flushing Requirement |
| 10250695 | Carefree Maintenance Coverage for Interim Oil Changes for Certain 2009 ? 2015 MY Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel Engine Vehicles Registered in the State of Minnesota Only (US Dealers |
| 10250686 | Section 3.30.2 Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance Policy Modifications |
| 10249138 | Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement. |
| 10245617 | 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 |
| 10244075 | Front Brake Judder And / Or Vibration |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)