There are 8 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2010 Volkswagen Routanin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE VEHICLE'S REAR BRAKES ARE PREMATURELY WEARING UNEVEN IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS FOR MY FAMILY. WHEN I WENT TO LOOK UP BRAKE REPLACEMENT ONLINE ONE OF THE REVIEWS SAID THAT A CLIP WAS LEFT OFF DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS DURING THE MERGING BETWEEN CHRYSLER AND VOLKSWAGEN. *TR
VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN 2010: THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY UPON BRAKING A REGULAR SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWNHILL. FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 22,000, 35,000, AND NOW 54,000 MILES. *TR
WHEN I BRAKE THE STREERING WHEEL SHAKES FROM OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS IT IS A BRAKE ISSUE AS IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN I BRAKE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL! THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WHEN IT STARTED HAPPENING! *JS
2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTON WITH 17,000 MILES BEGAN SHAKING AND SHUDDERING EVERY TIME I BRAKE, EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS CAR IS USED FOR MINIMAL DRIVING. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN AND WAS TOLD I NEED NEW ROTORS AND THAT MY ROTORS WERE WARPED. I AM STILL DRIVING THE CAR AND THE BRAKES STILL SHUDDER AND SHAKE.. I SPOKE TO A MECHANIC THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR VOLKSWAGEN BUT ON GERMAN CARS AND HE SAID HE OWNED A ROUTON AND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEIR ROTORS. I READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS AND REVIEWS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE TOO. I DON'T THINK ITS SAFE TO HAVE CAR MANUFACTURERS MAKE BRAKE SYSTEMS SO POORLY AS I MAY BE ABLE TO AFFORD A REPAIR, MANY ELSE WONT AS THE REPAIR IS COSTLY AND NOT WHAT A PERSON WOULD EXPECT FROM A CAR WITH LITTLE MILEAGE. I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION IN CASE OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM. *TR
THE REAR ROTORS ARE FOUND TO BE OUT OF SPECIFICATION FROM THE FACTORY. THE VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY WHEN BRAKING FROM SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. I FIRST COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 3,500 MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A TIRE PRESSURE PROBLEM AND THAT THE ROTORS WERE FINE. I COMPLAINED AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 9,000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. FINALLY AT 12,606 MILES I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REQUESTED THAT THEY TEST THE VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, AS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THEY HAD DRIVEN IT IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE PROBLEM DOES NOT MANIFEST AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR ROTORS IN THAT THE WERE OUT OF SPECIFICATION, I.E. THE WRONG ONES HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. MY CONCERN IS THAT AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THE INCORRECT ROTORS AND I NOW WONDER HOW MANY OTHER ROUTAN VANS LEFT THE FACTORY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IF THE DEALERSHIP AND DONE A PROPER JOB WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM I WOULD NOT BE CONCERNED AT THE MOMENT. VW COULD HAVE FACED A SEVERE LIABILITY LAWSUIT IF I HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH BECAUSE OF THE OUT OF SPECIFICATION ROTORS. *TR
PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN APRIL 2011. WE TOOK A FAMILY VACATION IN JUNE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT ITSELF OFF A FEW TIMES WHILE IN MOTION; CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AND ALL STEERING. ON THE SAME TRIP, WHEN USING THE KEY FOB, THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD FREEZE AND SHUT ITSELF OFF. IT EVENTUALLY TURNS BACK ON AFTER 5 OR SO MINUTES. THE WYNN MODULE WAS REPLACED. BEFORE DEPARTING FOR THE VACATION, WE HAD BRAKE ISSUES WITH THEM MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND , SOMETIMES NO STOPPING POWER. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS. THE PASSENGER SLIDER DOORS HAVE ISSUES. WHEN CLOSING, THE DOOR'S SAFETY MECHANISM WOULD NOT BACK TRACK THE DOORS WHEN IT HIT SOMETHING COMING OR GOING INTO/OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR SHUT ON MY SON! THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP MORE TIMES THAN A NEW VEHICLE SHOULD.... DID I MENTION THAT WE STILL HAVE BRAKE ISSUES AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IT SEEMS THAT ALL THE DEALERSHIP CAN SAY IS THAT WE CANNOT DUPLICATE THE SITUATION. EACH TIME THAT THE VEHICLE GOES TO THE DEALER, THEY HAVE IT FOR A WEEK OR MORE! I HAVE OWNED CHRYSLER/DODGE PRODUCTS BEFORE THIS AND THIS IS WHY I WENT TO A VW. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DIDN'T DO MY HOMEWORK BEFORE PURCHASING. IT SEEMS THAT THIS VW IS A "CHRYSLER". AS OF TODAY, 15 JANUARY, I AM LOOKING INTO THE "LEMON LAW" AND POSSIBLY SEEKING LEGAL ACTION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THIS VW VEHICLE CAUSES SERIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, PERSON AND MAYBE EVEN DEATH BEFORE THE NHTSA LOOKS INTO THE VW SITUATIONS?
ROUTAN SEEMED TO JOLT/SKID WHEN BRAKE WAS PRESSED. THIS WOULD HAPPEN APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3RD DAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE ROTORS WERE WORN. THIS I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHEN IT IS A NEW 2010 WHICH I PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2010. I DO NOT COMPREHEND AND UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPLANATION. THE DESCRIBED HOW THE ROTOR WORKS ALONG WITH THE BRAKE. BOTTOM LINE IS A MORE SENSIBLE MATERIAL IS BEING USED. THEY WERE NOT REPLACED ONLY TOUCHED UP. MAKES NO COMPLETE SENSE AND TO ME IS ALREADY A SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO THERE IS A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE BUT THEY COULD NOT DETECT/FIND IT. I'M TO GO BACK AND DO A TEST DRIVE WITH THEIR TECHNICIAN SO THAT I CAN POINT OUT TO THEM THE SOUND. WELL TODAY WHEN I STARTED THE ROUTAN IT HAS MORE OF A CLICKING SOUND WHICH WAS NOT THERE BEFORE. I WOULD HEAR THE SOUND ONLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS BEING USED. WHEN GAS PEDAL WOULD BE RELEASED IT WOULD GO AWAY BUT NOW IT IS A CONSTANT SOUND. *TR
THE BRAKES STARTED VIBRATING AND SHUDDERING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED. TOOK TO DEALER AND WERE TOLD THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THE DISK PADS WERE WORN OUT. STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY REPLACED ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY EVERY 8 MONTHS WE HAVE HAD THE CAR. THE FIRST THREE WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD TO FIGHT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE THIRD REPLACEMENT. THE FOURTH REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKES THE DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE COST. WE HAD TO PAY TO GET THE WORK DONE. WE ARE NOW ABOUT 10 MONTHS FROM THOSE BRAKE REPLACEMENTS AND ONCE AGAIN THE CAR IS SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY WHEN WE APPLY THE BRAKES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHRONIC ISSUE AND A SAFETY ISSUE. I UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS EVERY 8/10 MONTHS UNDER NORMAL DRIVING. THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY USED TO TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AND ACTIVITIES. UPDATED 5/1/2015 *JS
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026