# 2009 Routan SEL stops while driving



## routan2009 (Jul 22, 2013)

My 2009 Routan SEL (75,000) intermittently stops while driving-cold engine, light acceleration at 5-15 mph, no check engine light comes on. I can put it into neutral while coasting and it restarts immediately. Runs rough (some hesitation while gaining speed slowly) upon light acceleration at all speeds but seems to shift when it is supposed to. 
VW dealership unable to duplicate either problem. They said that they could not test my WIN to see if it is, in fact, defective, but they are 95% sure that replacing the WIN ($420) will correct the "stopping while driving" problem. I don't know all the symptoms of a defective WIN, but I have driven over some major bumps and my key has never moved nor has the engine stopped after some major jarring at higher speeds. I have two keys in good condition, nothing else on the fob.
I asked them to look at the PCV ("fine") and the EGR. An independent mechanic is going to replace the EGR valve because VW said it showed a "pending fault" but said this would not cause it to stop. 
Wondering if anyone has a similar experience or thoughts on how to process the problem.
Chrysler will not touch it.


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## routan2010se (Jun 17, 2013)

Isn't this a recall. I would call vwoa.
Volkswagen RoutanVolkswagen is recalling 12,612 2010 Volkswagen Routans over a problem with the ignition system, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recalled vehicles could experience inadvertent ignition key displacement from the Run to Accessory positions while driving, causing the engine to shut off. This could increase the risk of a crash.

This recall is related to a similar recall by Chrysler for nearly 250,000 vehicles last week. The Volkswagen Routan is essentially a rebadge of the Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town & Country. The recall affects vehicles built between October 2009 and June 2010. You can check your car's build date on a sticker affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

The recall is expected to being in April. Dealers will replace the faulty modules free of charge. For more info, owners can call Volkswagen at 800-822-8987 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.


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## early74B (Feb 18, 2009)

Had this happen to our '09 while we owned it; towed to dealer and they ended up replacing the radio head unit which 'thought' it was stolen and stopped the car from running -- did you 'lose' the radio function at all when it stalled? If not it's probably more related to the ignition problem --- yours is out of warranty (unless you bought an extended one) so I would have them check for TSB's before racking up $$$ to fix it on your dime; good luck!


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## routan2009 (Jul 22, 2013)

Good thought but mine was manufactured in 9/08 and unfortunately not included in the recall.


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## routan2009 (Jul 22, 2013)

*Radio*

I'll have to pay better attention to the radio cutting out or not. It is so nerve racking that I keep the radio off until I get to highway speeds just so I have less to pay attention to when I have to throw into neutral and restart the engine. I can't hear the engine turn off. I just realize that I am pushing the gas pedal and getting nowhere fast(coasting). Did yours turn off at highway speeds?


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## Ipfreely49 (Jul 20, 2011)

You should contact the nhtsb directly in addition to vwoa they need to know and have the power to make vwoa issue or update the recall 




routan2009 said:


> My 2009 Routan SEL (75,000) intermittently stops while driving-cold engine, light acceleration at 5-15 mph, no check engine light comes on. I can put it into neutral while coasting and it restarts immediately. Runs rough (some hesitation while gaining speed slowly) upon light acceleration at all speeds but seems to shift when it is supposed to.
> VW dealership unable to duplicate either problem. They said that they could not test my WIN to see if it is, in fact, defective, but they are 95% sure that replacing the WIN ($420) will correct the "stopping while driving" problem. I don't know all the symptoms of a defective WIN, but I have driven over some major bumps and my key has never moved nor has the engine stopped after some major jarring at higher speeds. I have two keys in good condition, nothing else on the fob.
> I asked them to look at the PCV ("fine") and the EGR. An independent mechanic is going to replace the EGR valve because VW said it showed a "pending fault" but said this would not cause it to stop.
> Wondering if anyone has a similar experience or thoughts on how to process the problem.
> Chrysler will not touch it.


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## early74B (Feb 18, 2009)

routan2009 said:


> I'll have to pay better attention to the radio cutting out or not. It is so nerve racking that I keep the radio off until I get to highway speeds just so I have less to pay attention to when I have to throw into neutral and restart the engine. I can't hear the engine turn off. I just realize that I am pushing the gas pedal and getting nowhere fast(coasting). Did yours turn off at highway speeds?


Not at highway speeds, luckily just in our neighborhood and then whe it needed to be towed, my wife was at work -- both times, the radio simply went 'dead' and acted like we turned it off (not even the normal digital clock was displayed). They replaced our '09 radio with a newer one from an '11 which had a few more 'features' on the My Connect screen; I wouldn't have thought that a bad radio head would interfere with starting/running the car but I guess the car won't run if it thinks the radio has been stolen as perhaps a theft deterrent. We never had an issue with the ignition switch as others but yours sounds like a safety issue to me worth reporting ...


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## routan2010se (Jun 17, 2013)

early74B said:


> Not at highway speeds, luckily just in our neighborhood and then whe it needed to be towed, my wife was at work -- both times, the radio simply went 'dead' and acted like we turned it off (not even the normal digital clock was displayed). They replaced our '09 radio with a newer one from an '11 which had a few more 'features' on the My Connect screen; I wouldn't have thought that a bad radio head would interfere with starting/running the car but I guess the car won't run if it thinks the radio has been stolen as perhaps a theft deterrent. We never had an issue with the ignition switch as others but yours sounds like a safety issue to me worth reporting ...


If you go on youtube and search for town and country shutting off, someone had a problem with the radio killing the cluster or something. Loose wire behind the radio.

EDIT: Found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTNtKK0kx5Y


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## early74B (Feb 18, 2009)

routan2010se said:


> If you go on youtube and search for town and country shutting off, someone had a problem with the radio killing the cluster or something. Loose wire behind the radio.
> 
> EDIT: Found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTNtKK0kx5Y


Wow, that would have drove me nuts --- the VW dealer literally took a day + to diagnose what was going on with my '09 but I guess they have some tool to determine if the head unit was bad and it was. Early on (first weekend after a Friday new delivery) the car had a no start related to loose wires in the main fuse box; towed by VWOA to dealer and fixed but it was off to a bad start.


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## routan2009 (Jul 22, 2013)

*New WIN module*

Replaced the EGR valve-runs great now. VW is going to replace the WIN module. Any problems with a new WIN to look out for? 

VW claims it will eliminate my "stops while driving problem". I am paranoid that it will somehow make my car run poorly again.


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