OUR ROUTAN HAS "STARTED ITSELF" MULTIPLE TIMES. IN EACH INSTANCE, WITHOUT INTENTIONALLY STARTING THE IGNITION (KEYS WERE IN PURSE/HANDBAG UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS), WE HAVE FOUND THE VEHICLE ON AND IDLING. MOST RECENTLY, WE HAPPENED (FORTUITOUSLY) TO FIND THE VEHICLE RUNNING IN OUR ENCLOSED GARAGE. THE GARAGE IS ATTACHED TO OUR HOME AND WE FELT, GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTAL DEATH IF NOT DISCOVERED IN A TIMELY FASHION, WE NEEDED TO ALERT AUTHORITIES OF THE (EITHER) DESIGN FLAW OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. WHILE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IS CERTAINLY A STRONG POSSIBILITY (WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH IT IN THIS VEHICLE), EVEN IF THE REMOTE IGNITION KEY WERE "FUNCTIONAL" WE FEEL THE LACK OF BARRIERS TO ACCIDENTALLY STARTING THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FOR INSTANCE, IF THE KEYS ARE IN A PURSE AND SIMPLY MOVING THE PURSE IS ENOUGH TO START THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH THE KEY "WORKED", IT IS FAR TOO EASY TO ACCIDENTALLY START THE VEHICLE. THIS IS WHAT HAS OCCURRED IN EACH INSTANCE (KEYS IN A PURSE, NO HANDS DIRECTLY TOUCHING THE KEYS). A SAFER DESIGN MIGHT INVOLVE A CODE TO BE PUNCHED IN VS SIMPLY PRESSING ONE BUTTON. GIVEN THAT MANY FAMILIES KEEP THEIR VEHICLE IN AN ATTACHED, ENCLOSED GARAGE, ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING THE VEHICLE COULD BE DEADLY IF CARBON MONOXIDE WERE TO BUILD UP AND ENTER THE HOME. *TR
2010
ENGINE
DRIVING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET WHEN A SUDDEN DROP IN THE AC POWER FOLLOWED BY A QUICK RISE IN THE ENGINE TEMP TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE. WITHIN 2 MINUTES STEAM WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER COOLING THE ENGINE AND OPENING THE HOOD IT WAS OBSERVED THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS ALL OVER THE ENGINE PARTS AND BOILING OFF DUE TO THE HEAT. WATER WAS POURED IN THE RADIATOR AND A LEAK WAS OBSERVED FROM A PLASTIC Y JOINT IN THE WATER COOLING PIPE/ASSEMBLY. VW PART NUMBER 7B0121086B. WITH THE WATER FILLED TO THE MAX AS SOON AS THE ENGINE WAS STARTED A STEADY STREAM OF WATER WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE Y JOINT. WITH OVER A GALLON OF WATER IN THE VEHICLE DROVE THE CAR HOME AND IN LESS THAN 3 MILES THE WATER WAS COMPLETELY DRAINED FROM THE SYSTEM. PLEASE CROSS REFERENCE THIS WITH ANY COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINIVAN AND THE DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AS THEY ARE ALL PRODUCED BY CHRYSLER CORP. THE Y CONNECTOR FAILURE WAS EASILY FOUND ONLINE AND APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE PART / DESIGN FLAW AS THE PLASTIC PIECE WAS NOT ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE AND HEAT AND SEEMED TO SPLIT AT THE SEAM TO CAUSE THE LEAK. *TR