YearToAvoid

2009 Volkswagen Routan Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 7 Routan years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Volkswagen Routan has 294 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 7 Routan model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is electrical system (153 complaints, 52% of the total). Complaints report 6 crashes, 3 fires, and 12 injuries.

Complaints
294
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
6 / 3
Injuries / deaths
12 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16.5 city / 24 hwy

Top 2009 Volkswagen Routan problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System153 (52%)
  2. Engine88 (30%)
  3. Brakes69 (23%)
  4. Steering34 (12%)
  5. Structure & Body24 (8%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain20 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (6%)
  8. Other15 (5%)
  9. Airbags7 (2%)
  10. Fuel System5 (2%)
2009 Volkswagen Routan complaints: complaints filed per quarter512009 Q22011 Q22013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q22022 Q2
438 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q3 (51).

2009 Volkswagen Routan recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V083000Feb 11, 2016Airbags1,037 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles manufactured February 7, 2008, to August 28, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.

    Risk: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: VW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began April 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

  2. NHTSA 15V194000Apr 1, 2015Electrical System20,676 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition:switch

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009 Routan vehicles manufactured June 25, 2008, to July 8, 2009, and 2010 Routan vehicles manufactured October 1, 2009, to August 11, 2010. This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

    Risk: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including, but not limited to, air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H1. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 11V151 and 14V396. Vehicles that previously received an ignition switch trim ring as a recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign. Vehicles that have already received a new ignition switch are not covered by this campaign.

  3. NHTSA 14V396000Jul 1, 2014Electrical System18,526 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (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.

    Risk: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will modify the ignition switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1- 800-822-8987. An interim notice was mailed to owners on August 29, 2014. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28G1/U8. Note: This campaign is an expansion of NHTSA Recall No. 11V-151.

See all 6 recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan →

2009 Volkswagen Routan fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,425
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Routan years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002008200920102011201220132014
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008No verdict1730—
2009Avoid100294619
2010Avoid83240219
2011Caution67175020

All Volkswagen Routan years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Volkswagen Routan a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Volkswagen Routan ranks worst among Routan model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 294 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Routan?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (153 complaints), engine (88 complaints), and brakes (69 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 65,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Volkswagen Routan have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2009 Volkswagen Routan, most recently reported 2016, covering airbags, electrical system, suspension, wheels & tires, and other.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Volkswagen Routan?
EPA rates the 2009 Volkswagen Routan at 19 MPG combined (16.5 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,425. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.