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Volkswagen RoutanModel year report

2009 Volkswagen Routan Problems

Compared with other Volkswagen Routan years

More complaints than typical for this model

100/100 3.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011, 2012

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
294filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
65,000miles, 249 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine shutting off while driving, with the loss of power steering and power brakes that follows; many say the van restarts after being shifted into park, and several report the symptom returned after an ignition-switch recall repair. Brake vibration and pulsation from the front brakes, and electrical glitches such as dash warning lights, wipers and gauges behaving erratically or doors locking and unlocking on their own, are the other frequently reported themes.

  1. Engine

    Engine shuts off while driving (stall)

    • 108 complaints (37%)
    • median 74,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (99 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $994 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2009–2023

    Owners describe the engine cutting out without warning at speeds from about 15 to 65 mph, sometimes while turning or idling at a light. Because the engine stops, power steering assist and brake assist are lost, and drivers say the van becomes hard to steer and stop; most report it restarts after being shifted into park and turned off, but some say it will not restart until it cools or is jump-started. Dealers are described as unable to reproduce the fault or as pointing to the ignition switch and a recall, with several owners saying parts were unavailable or the repair did not stop the stalling. Reported across a wide range, from a few thousand miles to over 130,000 miles, at all times of year.

    Recall 15V194000Recall 14V396000

    What to check: Ask whether the ignition-switch recalls (15V194000 and 14V396000) were completed and keep the receipt; test-drive at low speed with the A/C and lights on, and ask the seller whether the van has ever stalled or needed a restart while moving.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11066950, filed 2018-02, 130,000 miles

    “We have had several occasions where the van completely shuts off even while running. Reported it to our local vw dealer and have been told that it might be an ignition problem which is part of a recall. Was informed that at this time they can't repair it because they don't make that part. Had it completely shut down on us while it was getting serviced at the dealer for new brakes. Was told that all it needed was new battery. Paid for it and got it to start only to shut down again two days later. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10669104, filed 2014-12, 60,567 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Won't start or random electrical shutdowns

    • 72 complaints (24%)
    • median 81,500 mi at 6.4 yrs old (66 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $994 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2023

    Owners report intermittent no-start conditions where the dash lights come on but the engine does not crank, sometimes resolved by waiting and retrying, and often after the battery and starter were already replaced. Others describe episodes where all dashboard warning lights illuminate, the wipers run, the speedometer and gauges drop to zero, or the radio and blowers quit, then return to normal on their own. Complaints mention diagnosis pointing to the ignition switch, the TIPM/fuse module, battery or door-harness wiring, and some say the dealer could not find a stored fault code. Most frequently reported between about 50,000 and 120,000 miles, with a few at very low mileage.

    Recall 15V194000Recall 14V3960002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Start the van several times cold and warm and watch the dash for flickering or warning lights; ask whether the battery, starter, ignition switch or TIPM module has been replaced and whether any recall work is still open.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My drivers side back seat door will not close all the way and will open back up if it does not latch correctly. The engine wiring will make my cars dash lights all come on and make the wipers go off. The door only does this while stationary however, the dash lights go off while in motion on a regular street going less than 40mph”

    NHTSA complaint #11338410, filed 2020-07, 122,000 miles

    “All warning/service lights on the dash panel light up, sound alarms, and blink. The speedometer, fuel gauge, tachometer all go to 0 so I am unaware of my speed. Blinkers and emergency flashers do not work. This first happened right after we purchased the vehicle, and they repaired something to where it worked for about 3 months. Then it has been happening more frequently since then. The lights all turning on will happen about once a week now. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10682123, filed 2015-02, 47,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Power sliding doors open or close on their own

    • 41 complaints (14%)
    • median 50,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (37 state mileage)
    • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2023

    Owners describe power sliding doors and the tailgate operating by themselves, opening while the van is moving or reversing direction and closing on people or objects in the doorway, and door locks that stop responding to the fob. Complaints also mention chrome peeling from door handles and door wiring harnesses that were repaired or replaced, with some owners saying the door-harness recall work was incomplete or not performed and that a later repair was quoted at their cost. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 120,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern.

    Recall 10V252000

    What to check: Operate both sliding doors and the tailgate several times, including from the fob and the interior buttons, and check the door opening for pinched or chafed wiring; ask whether the sliding-door wire harness recall (10V252000) was completed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The electronic driver side passenger door will not latch open. The door will power open then slide back shut hitting whoever or whatever is in the way. This is an intermittent problem. The van was checked by our local dealer several times over several years. This is still an issue. This has LED to myself and children being hit by the door leaving bruises. It almost smashed my 2 year old daycare child's leg in the door but I intervened stopping the door prior to it hitting her. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10724199, filed 2015-06, 42,000 miles

    “I take my vw Routan to finish the recall .becaused my door open when I was driving from georgia to florida with my 2 daughter in the back seat and driver rear slide door open at 70 miles.. Vw dealer talk me no have the parts but they fixed and when I take to different dealer they talk me they ready did the recall and replaced the harness.. Thursday my wife driving and has the same problem door open when she driving.. Take the mini van to shop and they talk me dealer never did the recall... I alway have the mini van and no one touch dear before. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11309406, filed 2020-02, 67,098 miles
  4. Brakes

    Brake pedal vibration and pulsation

    • 31 complaints (11%)
    • median 22,418 mi at 2.3 yrs old (26 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2017

    Owners describe a pounding or pulsating feeling through the brake pedal and steering wheel when braking, most noticeable at higher speeds, on downhill grades or when the brakes are hot, and some say stopping distance feels longer. Complaints say front rotors and pads were replaced, sometimes repeatedly and sometimes under warranty, and that the problem returned within a short number of miles. Some owners report the dealer could not duplicate the vibration during a test drive. Often reported in the first 20,000 miles, with recurrence noted after each rotor replacement.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Brake firmly from about 40-50 mph on the test drive and feel for pedal or wheel shimmy; ask for rotor and pad service records and when the front brakes were last replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We have had brake problems since we bought this vehicle. The brakes wobble and make noise. It started with less than 15,000 miles on the car. We have had to replace pads and rotors several times. Once under warranted and a few times after. We have had to change the hearings as well as the brakes and rotors. The problem is primarily with the front wheels and brakes. We are having the same problem again. The internet is full of complaints about this issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #10885224, filed 2016-07, 15,000 miles

    “Bought the van in sept of 2009 with approximately 1000 miles. Were told it was a demo vehicle for auto shows. Had to bring it back within a couple of weeks for brake issues...pounding-pulsating when stopping. Brake rotors and pads continually pulsate. Problem is worse when stopping on the downhill or when brakes are heated or pressured. Feel like we lose breaking ability when breaking on the downhill. We have brought the car in multiple times to have the situation corrected. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10417747, filed 2011-08, 32,878 miles

Buying note. The stalling complaint is the one to take seriously: confirm both ignition-switch recalls were completed and be ready to verify the fix actually holds on a test drive. Budget for front brake work and a careful check of the power doors, electrical behavior and tire sensors, since those are the other recurring themes in owner reports.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 294 consumer complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan. 249 of the complaints include a mileage, and 33% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 65,000 miles. Of all complaints, 6 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 12 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 356 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Volkswagen Routan model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 100 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Air bags (7), Tires (7), Latches, locks and linkages (6), Seats (6), Engine cooling (5), Exterior lighting (5), Fuel system (5), Suspension (4), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (4), Equipment (1), Interior lighting (1), Seat belts (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The car will not start at times and make clicking sounds. This vehicle has been doing that for quite some time (at 80,000 miles) it is now 106,000 miles. I have taken it just about everywhere and done just about everything. No one can figure out what's wrong with it. I have changed the recall (win module), new starter,”

NHTSA complaint #10786094, filed 2015-10, 80,000 miles

Engine: “After my van has been sitting for a while and it been warmed up for 15 minutes. With in the first 2 to 5 miles of driving the traction control light will come on and the van will shut off and the steering wheel and break will fail. Then I have to turn the key to off and restart the van and it sometime repeat itself if I'm stuck in traffic.”

NHTSA complaint #10807881, filed 2015-12, 105,376 miles

Brakes: “Shortly after buying this van the van would shake when brakes were engaged, took it to the dealership but they said nothing was wrong with the brakes. I took it to another place for verification and was told my brakes were bad, the rotors were warped. Went back to dealer and told mgr about the second opinion so he had the brakes replaced.”

NHTSA complaint #10620752, filed 2014-08, 40,000 miles

Steering: “The engine turned to off while I was driving and depowered power steering and brakes. At that point I restarted the car and was able to drive. Took the car immediately to vw dealer, kept the car for 24 hours, and they could not replicate the incident so nothing was done by them. This happened again at 93000 miles on august 8, 2014.”

NHTSA complaint #10621954, filed 2014-08, 91,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

33% of the 249 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 36,000 and 93,776 miles.

11%0–108%10–2514%25–5025%50–7520%75–10018%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (249 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 65,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’1366’16’19’22’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Routan · VAN FWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Volkswagen Routan version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Routan FWD3.8L 6-cyl6-speed automatic162318$3,700
Routan FWD4.0L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 356 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 356 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volkswagen Routan

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2013790,0000—20—Not enough data
20126376,0001—200 · FewerFalling
201117569,0000—2017 · FewerFalling
201024070,0002—2068 · MoreFalling
200929465,0006—20100 · MoreFalling

All Volkswagen Routan model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Routan?

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine shutting off while driving, with the loss of power steering and power brakes that follows; many say the van restarts after being shifted into park, and several report the symptom returned after an ignition-switch recall repair. The issues reported most often: Engine shuts off while driving (stall); Won't start or random electrical shutdowns; Power sliding doors open or close on their own.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Volkswagen Routan have?

NHTSA recorded 294 consumer complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Volkswagen Routan is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 151 complaints (51% of the total), followed by engine with 78.

Has the 2009 Volkswagen Routan been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Volkswagen Routan get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Volkswagen Routan (Routan FWD, 4.0L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Routan reported?

Among the 249 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 65,000 miles and the middle half falls between 36,000 and 93,776 miles; 33% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.