# 2011 Routan oil casing leak



## rmgjr63 (Jun 7, 2017)

Took my 2011 Routan for an oil change at the dealership. Got it back and noticed oil leak less than a week later. Dealer diagnosed and said the oil filter casing is the problem. According to them, the problem was not, and could not be, a result of the work they performed. The van has approximately 105K miles and no evidence of a leak was there before they completed the oil change. Is there a chance this was a random occurrence or is there a chance the tech, inadvertently, did something to cause the problem?


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

So I have a 2009 with the more typical spin-on oil filter, so I haven't really been following this issue with the 2011+ model years. Other than being vaguely aware of it. Chrysler never issued a recall or TSB or even admitted any problems, but they changed the design of the oil filter housing on the Pentastar engine beginning in 2014 (which wouldn't affect Routans since VW stopped the model in the 2013 MY). But the reason Chrysler changed the design is they had problems with the 2011-2013 design. Which _could_ be your problem, causing the oil leaking from your oil filter housing.

There are problems with the oil filter bypass relief valve on the filters. The plastic gets brittle over time and crumbles, and the spring goes flying. Again, I'm not in on the details and only vaguely aware of the problem. But I think you can replace the entire oil filter housing with the 2014+ version, although you may run into issues in the future with oil change jockies forcing a 2011 oil filter onto a 2014 oil filter housing. Dorman also makes an after-market "fix" for the 2011-2013 problems.

Some threads:

Replacement oil filter. Pentastar 3.6L (first page or 2 is discussing a possible problem, but by page 2 or 3 you get some good information)
http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/sh...er.-Pentastar-3.6L/page2?highlight=oil+filter


Dorman aftermarket kit:
http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/sh...filter-bypass-valve-repair-kit-Dorman-917-992


Oil Filter Questions, 2012 Town & Country. Slightly different, this shows small changes to the filter and filter cap causing plastic tabs on the filter to break
http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/showthread.php/145306-Oil-Filter-Questions-2012-Town-amp-Country


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

Honestly, you may do better off with a Chrysler/Dodge dealership or an indie mechanic that is familiar with the Chryslers. Obviously they won't address the VW dealership's screw-up for free, but I don't think you will get anywhere with VW so you're likely going to have to pay for the repair yourself anyway.

VW dealerships may not even know about these issues as they would have no reason to follow the Chrysler issues post-2013. And I don't think Chrysler keeps VW properly informed of changes and TSBs. Totally unrelated, but for example there is a TSB for all MyGig REN and REZ head units with new procedure requiring removal of the 30 amp fuse for the radio head unit before disconnecting or connecting the battery to prevent bricking the head unit. VW has no such TSB (that i've ever found), yet they are mechanically identical and VWs also have the REN and REZ head units. (My Routan has the REN head unit, so I started removing that fuse before disconnecting, connecting or jump-starting the battery on my vehicle.)


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