2013 Volkswagen Routan problems
The Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat minivan and rebadged variant of the Chrysler RT platform, with revised styling, content features, and suspension tuning from the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.
Manufactured alongside the Chrysler and Dodge minivans at Windsor Assembly and marketed in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the Routan debuted at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show and went on sale in the United States in September of the same year as a 2009 model. The Routan's minivan variants include the Dodge Caravan, Ram C/V, Chrysler Town & Country, and Lancia Voyager (export)—that by 2009 have ranked as the 13th best-selling automotive nameplate worldwide, with over 12 million sold.
Production of the Routan was halted in 2012 due to high inventory levels, and Volkswagen announced the 2013 model year would be primarily reserved for rental car companies and other fleets, with limited availability to the public at dealer showrooms. This also held for the 2014 model year Routan.
Social links
Common 2013 Volkswagen Routan problems
The Volkswagen Routan, a minivan produced between 2009 and 2014, has been known to have several common problems based on complaints from owners of this car.
One of the most significant issues is related to the timing chain tensioner problems in the EA888 2.0-liter engine, which can lead to a loose timing chain and catastrophic engine failure.
Another problem reported by owners is related to the engine itself. In the case of a 2013 VW Routan, the high-speed oil pump failed, causing the engine to fail. This issue is well documented and is related to the Chrysler Pentastar engine used in the Routan.
The check engine light is another issue that has been reported by owners of the 2013 VW Routan. While it is not always indicative of a severe problem, it can be caused by a loose gas cap or a failed electrical connector under the hood.
The brakes of the 2013 VW Routan have also been reported to have issues, with some owners experiencing premature wear on the brake pads and rotors. This issue can lead to a decrease in braking performance and an increase in the risk of accidents.
The transmission of the 2013 VW Routan has also been reported to have issues, with some owners experiencing difficulty starting the vehicle or the vehicle not starting at all. This issue can be caused by a variety of factors, including electrical problems or issues with the transmission itself.
In summary, the Volkswagen Routan has been known to have several common problems, including issues with the timing chain tensioner, engine, check engine light, brakes, and transmission. These issues can lead to a decrease in vehicle performance and an increase in the risk of accidents. It is essential to address these issues promptly to ensure the safety and reliability of the vehicle.
Are Volkswagen Routans reliable?
The Volkswagen Routan Reliability Rating is 3.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 8th out of 8 for minivans. The average annual repair cost is $745 which means it has average ownership costs.
Why did Volkswagen stop making the Routan?
Automotive industry analysts were not surprised by VW's decision to drop the Routan because buyers had no reason for selecting the Routan over the similar Dodge Grand Caravan or the Chrysler Town & Country, and the Routan's base price of nearly $28,000 was far more than the basic $21,000 Grand Caravan, while the ...
What is the problem with the 2009 Volkswagen Routan?
(Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles. Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. What should you do: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will modify the ignition switch, free of charge.
How much is a Volkswagen Routan?
The average Volkswagen Routan costs about $7,412.54. The average price has decreased by -5.4% since last year. The 92 for sale on CarGurus range from $2,400 to $25,888 in price.
Are Volkswagen Routans reliable?
The Volkswagen Routan Reliability Rating is 3.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 8th out of 8 for minivans. The average annual repair cost is $745 which means it has average ownership costs.
Why did Volkswagen stop making the Routan?
Automotive industry analysts were not surprised by VW's decision to drop the Routan because buyers had no reason for selecting the Routan over the similar Dodge Grand Caravan or the Chrysler Town & Country, and the Routan's base price of nearly $28,000 was far more than the basic $21,000 Grand Caravan, while the ...
What is the problem with the 2009 Volkswagen Routan?
(Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles. Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. What should you do: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will modify the ignition switch, free of charge.
Where is the Routan made?
Windsor Assembly plant
Manufactured alongside Dodge and Chrysler minivans at the Windsor Assembly plant in Ontario, the Routan was an attempt by Volkswagen to market a vehicle specifically for the United States.
2013 Volkswagen Routan car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Volkswagen Routan problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Engine problems
- Power train problems
- Electrical system problems
- Seats problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2013 Volkswagen Routan vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2013 Volkswagen Routan complaints
The NHTSA has received 7 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2013 Volkswagen Routan.
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-05-15
- VIN: 2C4RVABG5DR
- Components: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly shut off. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. During the failure, no warning lights were illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.
SEATS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-05-12
- VIN: 2C4RVABG7DR
- Components: SEATS
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the passenger’s side front headrest prematurely deployed without impact. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2021-07-28
- VIN: 2C4RVABG5DR
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, he started to hear an abnormal sound. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact stated that he replaced the intake manifold and the check engine warning light disappeared. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact also called a second local dealer Volkswagen of St. Augustine (3235 US-1, St. Augustine, FL 32086:(904) 467-8880), and made them aware of the failure. The contact stated that currently the vehicle was shifting into gear incorrectly. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2019-06-21
- VIN: 2C4RVAAG0DR
- Components: ENGINE
- Summary: THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE CONSTANTLY MOVING TO 220 THERMOSTAT WATER PUMP AND SENSOR WAS CHANGED WITH NEW ANTIFREEZE. ITS STILL DOING YHE SAME THING. I NOTIVED SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM STATIONARY OR MOVING II WILL MOVE.
ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2018-10-01
- VIN: 2C4RVABG9DR
- Components: ENGINE
- Summary: VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER SOMETIMES HARSHLY UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE AT 45-60MPH AND SMALL HILL OR ACCELERATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED A LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FAILURE AND CYLINDER MISFIRES. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. NOT INCLUDED BY VIN AND FALLS JUST OUTSIDE THE MANUFACTURING DATE, WHICH RESULTED IN A MANUFACTURERS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR SIMILAR FAILURES. REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM VW DUE TO THE SIMILARITY OF FAILURE AND CLOSE MANUFACTURING DATE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. VW DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. HARD TO BELIEVE A VEHICLE JUST PRODUCED OUTSIDE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WINDOW WOULD HAVE A SIMILAR FAILURE AND NOT BE A PART OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. REVIEW THE DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS... MANY 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN, CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY AND VW ROUTAN VANS HAVE LEFT CYLINDER HEAD FAILURES THAT ARE DOCUMENTED YET ARE NOT INCLUDED BY THE MANUFACTURERS IN THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE.
ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2017-06-20
- VIN: 2C4RVAAG5DR
- Components: ENGINE
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK, JERKED, AND MISFIRED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (HAWK VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 2861 W JEFFERSON ST JOLIET, IL 60435 815-741-1100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2015-01-06
- VIN: 2C4RVADG5DR
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: ENGINE WON'T START WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WHILE VAN IS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, GARAGE, AT GAS STATION, AT SORE PARKING LOT; ALARM HORN SOUNDS FOR NO REASON WHEN VAN IS PARKED; DOORS LOCK WHEN EXITING VEHICLE YET NO LOCK/FOB HAS BEEN PRESSED LOCKING BOTH ELDERLY PARENTS INSIDE VAN WHEN TEMPS. WERE -5 DEGREES OUTSIDE; ENGINE ONLY STARTS WHEN REMOTE START BUTTON ON KEY FOB IS USED, THEN THE ALARM HORN SOUNDS UNTIL VAN IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE ISSUE IS CLEARLY THE T.I.P.M. MODULE WHICH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON SEVERAL CHRYSLER-BASED PRODUCTS (WHICH THIS ROUTAN IS.) VW HAS RUN DIAGNOSTIC CODES TWICE AND NOTHING TURNS UP BECAUSE THE VAN ISN'T RUNNING TO TRIGGER A CODE. ALTHOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THEY SAY THE T.I.P.M. IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE NO CODES ARE TRIGGERED. MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NO.: TB-15-11-04. NHTSA NUMBER: 10043276. THE DATE LISTED BELOW (01/06/2015) IS THE FIRST INSTANCE OF ENGINE FAILURE, IT HAS BEEN ONGOING AS OF LAST WEEK, 7/6/2016.
Negative 2013 Volkswagen Routan car reviews
Positive 2013 Volkswagen Routan car reviews
-
We found the perfect minivan for our needs at an affordable price. After researching various options, we decided to purchase a Certified Used 2012 Routan SE with Nav and DVD, which only had 2.5K miles, for $24K. Compared to other competitors like Toyota and Honda, we were able to save between 13K to 16K for the same features. The Routan is a convertible, runs quietly, has great power, and looks fantastic. Although it's unfortunate that they won't be producing this model in 2013, there are still some brand new 2012 minivans available at dealerships with excellent options and a $7-8K discount off the sticker price. As first-time minivan owners, we are thrilled with our purchase so far!
-
I hope you're doing well! I just wanted to let you know that I think this van is absolutely fantastic. It's definitely the most stylish and comfortable one I've come across in my search. Even though this is my first time owning a VW, I can already tell that it won't be my last. Thanks for your time!
-
I am following up on my earlier post regarding my car. Despite a few issues I have encountered, I have been able to resolve them with the help of the dealership. The brakes had to be replaced at 10k miles due to vibration in the steering, but the dealership promptly replaced them under warranty. Additionally, I had trouble with the 2nd row seat, which was stuck and could not be removed or put back. However, the dealership replaced the seat frame free of charge. Lastly, there was a creaking noise coming from the driver's door while driving on certain bumps, which was very irritating. After taking it to 2 different dealerships, the second dealership lubricated the driver side door hinges and that took care of the issue. Overall, I am confident in the dealership's ability to address any issues that may arise with my car.
-
One of the best vehicles for ride and comfort I've ever been in. We did have a problem with the brake rotors when we first bought the van, but we had larger rotors installed and have not had any problems since. It's a great van and fun to drive!
-
We've had this van for around 3 months now and we absolutely love it, except for the gas mileage. Since we drive about 800 miles a week, fuel efficiency is a top priority for us. Currently, we're averaging about 20 miles per gallon. Initially, we were a bit apprehensive about the quality of the van, especially since it's manufactured by Chrysler and even has Mopar branding on some of the engine components and parts. However, we're happy to report that we haven't experienced any issues so far. We've come to realize that just because it's made by Chrysler, doesn't mean it's a typical Chrysler vehicle. VW has definitely improved the comfort and style of this van. Our 3-year-old is particularly fond of the entertainment center.
Other years of Volkswagen Routan
Are you having problems with your 2013 Volkswagen Routan?
Justyn Yost 2024-11-04
Here's what happened: We switched from an SUV to a minivan because we were promised better gas mileage (17/25). Unfortunately, we're only getting similar mileage to our old SUV (13/19). My wife loved her SUV, and I convinced her that the minivan would save us money on gas. We feel deceived and disappointed. It's important for companies to stand behind their promises and deliver on them, no matter who they are.
Deshawn White 2024-10-21
I recently traded in my 2010 VW Routan SEL for a Honda Odyssey. Unfortunately, I had a lot of problems with my VW after only 30,000 miles. I have decided to stay away from Volkswagen in the future and no longer trust them. Thank you for listening to my experience.
Marques Greenholt 2024-08-25
I will never purchase a Volkswagen vehicle again. In 2010, I bought a Routan for $40K, but after only two years, the company discontinued production of that model. When I tried to sell the vehicle, even a Volkswagen dealer only offered $12K. I chose to keep the van and spent thousands of dollars on repairs each year, often struggling to find the necessary parts. Eventually, I sold the vehicle for only $5K. This experience has convinced me to avoid Volkswagen in the future.
Clifford Marquardt 2024-08-10
As soon as the 60 mile warranty expired, the transmission light came on. I took it to have an Emissions Test done and unfortunately, it failed. I learned that the torque converter needs replacing. I must say, I'm quite disappointed with my Volkswagen. However, I hope this experience can help others make an informed decision when purchasing a car.
Myles Prosacco 2024-06-19
I recently purchased the Routon SEL premium from Jersey Village Volkswagen in Houston, TX for $37,000. However, I have noticed a major design flaw with the DVD screens blocking the entire view from the rearview mirror, which is a huge safety hazard. It would be great if Volkswagen could recall this vehicle before any accidents occur. Interestingly, the dealership, which is owned by Sonic Automotive, offered to install DVD screens into the headrests, indicating that they are aware of this safety issue. I would advise against purchasing this vehicle and instead consider other brands of minivans. It's worth noting that there are numerous other problems with this vehicle, and the issue I mentioned is just one of them.