There are 8 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 8 of 8 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROUTERS 3 TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VAN AT OVER $1000 EACH TIME. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE IS THE FACT THAT THE CAR WON'T START. VERY FREQUENTLY, THE VAN WILL NOT START LEAVING MY KIDS AND I STRANDED. IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AS I COMMUTE TO WORK AND WE LIKE TO DO THINGS OUT OF OUR AREA, NOT TO MENTION JUST DRIVE IN GENERAL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME.
I AM NOW GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY BRAKES AND ROTORS FOR THE THIRD TIME AND POSSIBLY THE CONTROL ARMS AS WELL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL FOR THIS? MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE REAR BRAKES FAILED TO RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR MOUNTING BRACKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,752.
THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE SELLING DEALER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED JULY 2011. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MANY SERIOUS / SAFETY PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2 OR 3 TIMES. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM WAS THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT) HAS FAILED. MY WIFE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE VAN. SHE WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT WHERE CROSS TRAFFIC WAS TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 40MPH OR GREATER. HER DRIVING SKILLS AND USING BOOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE SHE WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VAN AND STEER IT FROM GETTING BLIND SIDED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE, AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROADS. THE AMOUNT PROBLEMS, WHILE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY IS UN-HEARDOF FOR A NEWER MODEL VEHICLE. SAFELY FOR THE OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS AROUND IS THE NO. 1 PRIORITY. WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS VAN SHOULD BE REMOVED AND MARKED UNSAFE, AND UN DRIVABLE. THIS LAST PART THAT FAILED COULD BECOME A MAJOR RECALL. *TR
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE NOTICED THE FRONT BRAKES CAUSED A VIBRATION/ WOBBLE AT SPEED WHEN BRAKING, THIS WAS WITH LESS THAN 9000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. NOW AGAIN AT LITTLE MORE THAN 24000MI. WE ARE TAKING THE VAN IN FOR WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. I'M TOLD BY MY ORIGINAL DEALER THAT THERE IS A SERVICE ADVISORY NOTICE FOR THIS ISSUE. *JS
AFTER BUYING MY CERTIFIED ROUTAN AND ONLY PUTTING AROUND A 1000 MILES ON IT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD START TO SHAKE WHEN BRAKING AT A SPEED OF 40MPH OR FASTER. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE FRONT BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED. AT FIRST THEY SAID IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ME PUSHING TO HARD ON THE BRAKES. COMPLETELY BULL. THEY FINALLY SAID IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW AT 31,000 THE BACK BRAKES ARE SQUEAKY AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT AS BEFORE THE BRAKES SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. TAKING IT IN TOMORROW TO HAVE THE BRAKES INSPECTED. HOPEFULLY WILL BE COVERED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER' SIDE BRAKE SEIZED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN HE DROVE OVER A ROAD BUMP OR POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED, THE FAILURE WOULD CEASE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHRER THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS BURNED. THE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, BRACKETS AND THE BRAKE FLUID ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.
WV 2011 ROUTAN. WHEN THE REAR TIRES/BRAKES GET WET EITHER BY RAIN OR WASHING, AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE BRAKES WILL NOT RELEASE WHEN YOU UNLOCK THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL, DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT AND SOAKED REAR BRAKES WITH GARDEN HOSE AND APPLIED PARKING BRAKES, NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK, DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PAD, TOOK VEHICLE AND WENT HOME SAME THING AFTER RAIN, THIS IS THE 8TH TIME I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN PARKING LOTS DUE TO THIS, TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO THEN REPLACED REAR BRAKES CALIPER, WENT HOME AND SAME THING AGAIN ONCE WET, TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO HAD A VW OF AMERICA REP COME TO DEALERSHIP AND STATED THAT THE BRAKES WHEN WET AND PARKING BRAKES IS APPLIED "IT IS LIKE WETTING A SHEET OF GLASS AND LAYING ANOTHER SHEET OF GLASS ON TOP IT WILL STICK" THAT THE BRAKES LOCKING UP AND REQUIRES 3000 RPM'S WHILE IN DRIVE TO GET THEM UNSTUCK THE VW REP STATED " THIS IS NORMAL AND NOTHING WILL BE DONE. .I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE ANSWER THE VW REP LEFT WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER JOHN, THAT ANSWER IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, I WILL NOT SUBJECT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN TO BE POSSIBLE STRANDED WHEN THE BRAKES GET WET, IT IS CURRENTLY TAKING 3000 RPM'S TO FORCE THE BRAKE TO POP LOUD AND UNLOCK IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THIS TO ME IS NOT NORMAL, I HAVE DRIVEN MANY OTHER VEHICLES IN THE RAIN AND AFTER WASHING NEVER TO HAVE THE BRAKES FREEZE UP AS WITH THIS 2011 ROUTAN, ALSO REPORTED EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST ON BOTH REAR WHEELS, NONE ON FRONT WHEELS, ALL WV CAN TELL ME IS MY COMPLAINS ON THIS MATTER IS DOCUMENTED? *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.