Problems · by component
2011 Volkswagen Routan electrical system problems
111 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Routan cite electrical system, 63% of all 175 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
111
63% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“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.”
“When driving for about 25 and then getting to a stop light. As I slow down and start to come to a stop the car shakes very roughly and turns right off. The first time this happened was 3 days after getting car from Carmax. It had not happened again until this week.”
“THE VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START AFTER REPEATED TRIES. IT WOULD START AS NORMAL AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THE TIPM IS FAULTY. FAULTY TIPMS IN THESE VEHICLE WITH 55K-70K MILEAGE SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY SHOPS WHO WILL REBUILT THESE TIPMS AS ITS A VERY KNOWN ISSUE. THIS IS ALSO A SERIOUS PROBLEM AS IT WOULD SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND HOW START, LEAVING PASSENGERS STRANDED”
“I OWN A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN MINIVAN AND THE IGNITION SWITCH STOPS WORKING I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW RECALLS FOR THIS ON THE 2009 AND 2010 YEARS I CALL VW CORPORATION AND THEY SAID THEY CAN'T HELP ME JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE THE PART THEY USED IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS IS THE SAME THAT IS DAMAGE IN MY VEHICLE SO I DON'T THINK IS FAIR AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME HELP FOR THIS THANK YOU”
“FAULTY TIPM MODULE. ENGINE WILL CRANK JUST FINE, BUT HAS BIG TROUBLE STARTING. ONCE IT RUNS ALL IS GOOD. IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THE PART. OTHER OEMS RECALLED THE ITEM (CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY / DODGE GRAND CARAVAN)”
Showing 6 of 111 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.