Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
On Thursday January 6, 2022, I took my car Volkswagen Routan 2012 to the service center because the check engine light went on and the engine revving. The service center took a week for diagnostic it, then they informed me on January 13, after charging me $180 that it needs a new transmission because it stuck in limp mode (see attached report). I asked the customer service to contact Volkswagen representative because this problem seems to be a manufacture problem, especially the car run less than 85000 miles and all maintenance service done on time with Volkswagen dealership. This mileages are considered very low to have a transmission problem with well maintained car. They took another three weeks to report me by phone that Volkswagen refused completely to take care or to share responsibility for this problem and they rejected my claim. …
The transmission on our 2012 VW Routan has completely failed. The car will not go into gear and left my wife in a position where she was stranded in traffic. We are the original owners of this vehicle and have followed the recommended maintenance schedule. The engine in this vehicle is a Chrysler Pentastar V6. (The vehicle was built as a joint venture between VW and Chrysler) According to online research Chrysler has recognized a "fatal flaw" in this engine and has extended warranty to customers in order to cover repairs beyond 100,000 miles. We only have 72,000 on our vehicle. I have spoken with VW North America, they told me to plead my case with Chrysler. I spoke with Chrysler and they told me to plead my case with VW. Neither company is willing to recognize that a total transmission failure at 72k miles is [their] responsibility. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. While driving approximately 35 MPH, all the warning indicators illuminated and white smoke and flames emerged from the engine compartment. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and removed the three child passengers from the vehicle. The fire department was not present. No injuries were reported. The fire extinguished itself when the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the battery and the alternator were burnt and needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired, but the repairs were insufficient. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (neftin westlake Volkswagen, 3550 auto mall drive, thousand oaks, california 91362) where it was diagnosed that the totally integrated program module and transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. Ever since the vehicle was purchased new from national Volkswagen (2223 n marine blvd, jacksonville, nc 28546, [phone]), the contact had been experiencing failures. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate properly and the instrument panel indicators kept illuminating. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where they reprogrammed the computer for the power train. The failures recurred and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The power train computer was reprogrammed again, but the failures continued. On another occasion, the side doors opened without warning while driving on the highway. The contact moved to a different state and took the vehicle to lithia Volkswagen of reno (7063 s e virginia st, reno, nv 89511, [phone]). …
Vehicle stationary in park. Gear slipped and car drove backwards down the hill, stopped, then slipped into drive and drove itself into lake. My dog crated in back. She drowned. Incline was slight. Gravel. Ashe county park jefferson nc. I was outside the car trying to crate my other dog when this happened.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated that the vehicle would not accelerate over 40 MPH. The contact also mentioned that the rear passenger door made an abnormal noise when being opened. The vehicle was taken to hiley Volkswagen of arlington (1461 e interstate 20, arlington, tx 76018, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer stated that the door was not under warranty; however, the transmission was repaired. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred after the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 112,000.
On Monday, October 4th, 2010, I pulled into my driveway and placed the 2009 Volkswagen Routan in park. The engine was still running while I finished up a phone call through the Bluetooth and proceeded to listen to the radio while cleaning out the van. I walked around the exterior of the vehicle leaning in to clean the interior of the car. I needed to go inside the house, so, standing outside driver's side of the van I reached across the seat to turn off the engine and remove the keys. As soon as I did this, the van jolted backward and continued to travel down my driveway. My upper body was still inside the car. I tried to depress the emergency brake with my right hand while I held tightly onto the steering wheel with my left. I wasn't able to stop the car but I was able to turn the wheel so that the van crashed into a tree on my property, instead of going into the street. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Routan. While driving between 30 to 65 MPH, the vehicle randomly jerked forward and backward as if it were skipping a gear. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated afterwards several times. The contact spoke with two unknown dealers and then contacted an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the underdrive solenoid circuit of the transmission was malfunctioning. After conducting some research, the contact found that the manufacturer placed a Chrysler engine and transmission into her Volkswagen vehicle. The independent mechanic completed the repairs with another new Chrysler transmission solenoid part. While the contact was driving on the highway, the vehicle lost complete acceleration and had to be pulled over to the shoulder of the road. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Routan years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (22), 2009 (20), 2011 (19) and 2012 (7) model years. Transmission complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Volkswagen Routan transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for any Volkswagen Routan model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Volkswagen Routan transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles; 40% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (10 mentions), followed by the automatic transmission › torque converter (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.