VolkswagenRoutan2013Overview/volkswagen/routan/2013/base/

2013 Volkswagen Routan

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 Routan.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2013 Volkswagen Routan is a VAN that uses a 6‑speed automatic transmission and achieves EPA‑rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. Owner complaints number only seven across the entire 2008‑2014 production period, and the 2013 model year falls near the low‑complaint end of that history. The single recall record is zero, and the primary complaint area is the engine, underscoring a generally dependable character for this model year.

Model year201420132012201120102009

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy17/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 700 CCA battery, OE oil filter 7B0115562D. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 700 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter7B0115562D
Engine air filter7B0129620C
Spark plug7B0905600C
Front wiper blades7B0955425A alt 7B0955426
Thermostat7B0121119B alt 7B0121111B
Cabin air filter7B0819644

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 25 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Routan of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1–9.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2010 SEL
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2010SEL 4.0L V68.10 sec16.20 sec251 hpFWD
2010SE 3.8L V69.30 sec17.00 sec197 hpFWD
2009SE 3.8L V69.50 sec17.20 sec197 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 4 brake fluid. The firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF +4
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5
Brake FluidDOT 4

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts70 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs9 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-3-6-2-4

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca
Optional BCI Group Number94R
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.040; Rear: 0.040 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2013 Volkswagen Routan represents a mature phase in the vehicle's lifecycle, exhibiting significantly lower federal regulatory activity than the problematic early production years. While the 2009 model year generated 293 complaints and 6 recalls, the 2013 record shows a drastic reduction to only 7 complaints with zero recalls or investigations. This downward trajectory continues into 2014, which logged just 2 complaints, suggesting that initial reliability issues had largely subsided by this point. Although Technical Service Bulletins remain substantial at 410 for 2013, down from the generation peak of 506 in 2012, there are no recorded crash or fire complaints for this specific year. The few reported grievances focus primarily on the engine and power train, but the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. Based on the minimal complaint volume and absence of safety recalls compared to prior years, the 2013 model is a statistically more reliable option within this generation.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
410
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Engine3
Power Train,Electrical System1
Seats1
Power Train1
Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 410 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
VOS-26-212026-03-27EngineThis is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the…
VOS-26-152026-03-06Electrical SystemThis is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the…
DC_VW_CF_Airbag2026-03-02Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning…
VOS-26-012026-01-06Electrical SystemThis is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the…
V1917012022548_142025-02-12EngineIdentifying and Mixing Engine Coolant

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Routan. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2013 Routan have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Routan get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.