Volkswagen Routan (2009 to 2014): Chrysler-Built Minivan Fitment Guide
Written by Arthur Simitian | PartsAdvisory
The Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat minivan built by Chrysler at its Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, and sold under the Volkswagen badge from the 2009 model year through the end of fleet production in 2014. It is a rebadged variant of the Chrysler RT platform, the same architecture underpinning the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country. VW contributed a distinctive front fascia, a redesigned rear end, revised interior trim and dashboard treatment, suspension retuning, and its own second-row seat design in place of Chrysler's Stow and Go folding system. Chrysler contributed everything else: the platform, both engine families offered across the window, the 62TE six-speed automatic transmission, the brakes, the steering, the HVAC, and the sliding door and liftgate hardware.
For catalog purposes this dual identity is the entire story. The Routan is approximately 85 percent Chrysler content by parts count. The 15 percent that is VW-specific is concentrated almost entirely in external body panels, front and rear lighting, interior door panel trim, and the second-row seat assemblies. Everything underneath the skin, in the engine bay, and in the driveline is sourced directly from the contemporary Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country and cross-references freely to those vehicles. A catalog that treats the Routan as an independent VW product will miss the Chrysler cross-references that make the majority of service parts available. A catalog that treats it as a pure Grand Caravan will supply wrong front fascia, headlamps, taillamps, and rear hatch components every time.
Platform Identity and Production History
The Routan is built on Chrysler's RT minivan platform, front-wheel drive, and shares its full underbody architecture, wheelbase, track dimensions, floor structure, sliding door apertures, and structural body-in-white elements with the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country of the same era. The partnership between VW and Chrysler that produced the Routan originated from a 2005 agreement. Production began at Windsor Assembly in August 2008, and the vehicle went on sale in the United States in September 2008 as a 2009 model.
Retail production was halted in 2012 due to poor sales and high dealer inventory. For the 2013 and 2014 model years, Chrysler produced approximately 2,500 units reserved exclusively for fleet purchasers including rental car companies. No 2013 or 2014 Routans entered retail dealer inventory in meaningful volume. The ACES window therefore has a two-tier character: a genuine retail window from 2009 through 2012, and a nominal fleet extension through 2014 that carries the same specifications as the final 2012 retail model.
The Routan was marketed in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Trim level designations differ by market. In the United States the trims were S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium. In Canada the trims were Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, and Execline, aligning approximately with the US S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium designations. In Mexico the trims were Prestige and Exclusive. Engine availability also varied by market: Canada did not offer the 3.8L V6, and Mexico's Prestige and Exclusive trims were offered with the 3.8L only in certain model years. For catalog purposes the US market specification is the primary reference, with Canadian and Mexican market variants noted as sub-applications where engine or content differs.
The Engine Window Split: 2009 to 2010 versus 2011 to 2014
The Routan window divides cleanly into two engine sub-windows at the 2011 model year. This is the single most important year qualifier for any engine, fuel system, or emissions component listing in this guide. Catalogs that apply a single unified engine listing across the full 2009 to 2014 range will supply wrong parts for roughly half the vehicles in the window.
2009 to 2010: 3.8L V6 and 4.0L V6
The 2009 and 2010 Routan offers two engine options. The base engine is the Chrysler 3.8L V6 producing 197 horsepower and 230 lb-ft of torque. The optional engine is the Chrysler 4.0L V6 producing 251 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to the Chrysler 62TE six-speed automatic transaxle with manual shift capability. Both are Chrysler powerplants with no VW engineering content. The 3.8L was not available in Canada during this window; Canadian market 2009 and 2010 Routans used the 4.0L only.
Engine parts for both the 3.8L and 4.0L Routan applications cross directly to the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country using the same engines in the same model years. This cross-reference is complete for all engine-internal components, fuel system components, ignition system components, exhaust manifolds, and engine-related sensors. There is no VW-sourced content in either engine.
2011 to 2014: 3.6L Pentastar V6 Only
Beginning with the 2011 model year, both the 3.8L and 4.0L engines are replaced by the Chrysler 3.6L Pentastar V6. The Pentastar produces 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque and is paired with the same 62TE six-speed automatic transaxle. The Pentastar is a significantly different engine architecture from both prior units, and no engine-internal, fuel system, or emissions component from the 2009 to 2010 Routan carries forward to the 2011 onward application. The transmission is the same 62TE unit but should be confirmed at the part number level for any internal components, as the 62TE calibration may differ between the 3.8L and 4.0L applications and the 3.6L application.
The Pentastar cross-references directly to the 2011 onward Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country for all engine and fuel system components. The 3.6L Pentastar is one of the most widely distributed Chrysler powerplants of its era, appearing across a broad range of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram applications. Cross-reference availability for service parts is generally strong. All Pentastar parts listed against the Routan should carry a note confirming the Chrysler 3.6L application rather than a generic VW engine designation.
Transmission
The Chrysler 62TE six-speed automatic transaxle is the only transmission offered in the Routan across the full 2009 to 2014 window. It is a front-wheel-drive transaxle with manual shift capability. The 62TE is a Chrysler unit with no VW content and crosses directly to the contemporaneous Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country for all transmission service components, including the torque converter, solenoid pack, valve body, filter and fluid, transmission control module, and transmission range sensor.
The specified transmission fluid is the Chrysler ATF+4 specification. No VW-branded transmission fluid specification applies to this vehicle. Any catalog entry listing a VW transmission fluid part number or VW DSG or DSG-related fluid for the Routan is incorrect. The 62TE uses ATF+4 exclusively, and using an incompatible fluid will damage the transmission's friction materials and clutch pack assemblies.
Suspension
The Routan's suspension was described at launch as having been retuned by VW to deliver firmer springs, stiffer shock absorbers, larger stabilizer bars, and revised steering calibration compared to the standard Dodge Grand Caravan specification of the same era. Multiple contemporary road tests, including reviews from CNET, MotorWeek, and US News, noted that the Routan had perceptibly tighter body control and more steering feedback than the Grand Caravan, though most also noted the improvement was modest in practice.
For catalog purposes, the suspension retuning is the most structurally ambiguous area of the Routan parts map. The platform architecture is identical to the Grand Caravan: the same MacPherson strut front suspension, the same rear twist-beam axle arrangement, and the same subframe mounting geometry. The front lower control arm, front wheel hub and bearing, front strut tower, steering rack, tie rod assemblies, and rear axle beam are all platform-shared with the Grand Caravan and cross directly.
However, the specific spring rates, shock absorber valving, and stabilizer bar diameters used in the Routan suspension tune may differ from Grand Caravan part numbers for those items. A catalog that crosses Grand Caravan spring and shock absorber listings directly to the Routan without confirming part number equivalency may supply components that return the vehicle to the softer Caravan tune rather than maintaining the VW-specified setup. For structural and geometry-critical suspension components, the Grand Caravan cross-reference is reliable. For spring, shock, and sway bar specifications, OEM Routan part number verification is the correct approach before publishing a cross-reference.
The SEL trim offered a load-leveling rear suspension option. This is a Chrysler-sourced system and should be listed separately from the standard rear suspension application, as the load-leveling components do not interchange with standard rear shock absorber assemblies.
Brakes
The brake system is fully Chrysler-sourced and crosses directly to the contemporaneous Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country. The Routan uses four-wheel disc brakes with ABS as standard equipment across all trim levels. Front brake rotor, front caliper, front brake pad, rear brake rotor, rear caliper, rear brake pad, brake master cylinder, ABS modulator, and ABS wheel speed sensors all carry valid cross-references to the same-year Grand Caravan and Town and Country applications at the same brake specification.
Brakes are documented as a well-known high-frequency service category on the RT platform minivans including the Routan. The brake system requires no VW-specific part numbers; all service components are available through Chrysler supply channels and aftermarket suppliers cataloging the Grand Caravan and Town and Country.
Body Panels: What Is VW-Specific and What Is Not
The division of body panel fitment between VW-specific and Chrysler-shared components is the most operationally important fitment question for the Routan. The answer is well-established in community documentation and confirmed by the VW OEM parts catalog structure.
VW-Specific Exterior Components
The entire front clip is unique to the Routan: the front bumper cover and fascia, the VW-signature grille, the front fenders, the hood, and the headlamp assemblies are all Routan-specific and do not cross to the Dodge Grand Caravan or Chrysler Town and Country. The front lighting design incorporates VW's characteristic headlight and grille integration and is dimensionally incompatible with the Chrysler front fascia design.
The rear clip is also unique to the Routan: the rear bumper cover and fascia, the rear quarter panels (at the aft section where the Routan's distinct taillight integration occurs), the liftgate, the rear spoiler, and the taillamp assemblies are all Routan-specific. The taillights in particular carry VW-specific lens and housing designs not shared with any Chrysler minivan variant.
MotorWeek's 2009 road test notes that mid-section body panels were also tweaked to give the Routan a more sculpted appearance compared to the Grand Caravan slab sides, though the structural body panels beneath any cosmetic trim pieces are shared platform components.
Chrysler-Shared Exterior Components
The sliding door assemblies, sliding door glass, sliding door tracks, and all associated sliding door hardware cross directly to the contemporaneous Grand Caravan and Town and Country. The side body structure, A-pillar, B-pillar, and C-pillar sheet metal is shared platform content. The windshield glass crosses to the Chrysler siblings. The front door assemblies are shared in their structural shell, though interior door panel trim is Routan-specific. Exterior mirrors are shared with the Grand Caravan and Town and Country for the same model year and trim specification.
A practical note for collision repair catalog entries: it is technically possible to fit a complete Dodge Grand Caravan front clip to a Routan body structurally, as the underlying bumper beam, radiator support, and structural mounting points are shared. However, this would produce a Dodge-nosed vehicle, not a Routan. Any collision repair listing must specify Routan-specific fascia components by OEM Routan part number rather than substituting Grand Caravan fascia assemblies.
Interior Components
The interior presents the same dual-identity split as the exterior. The dashboard structure is the same Chrysler unit used in the Grand Caravan and Town and Country, but VW reskinned it with revised surface textures, a modified center stack layout, and the trademark VW red and blue backlighting on the gauge cluster. The individual switches, the HVAC control head, the transmission shifter, the steering column, and the audio head unit are all Chrysler-sourced components that cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country. Chrysler's MyGig hard-drive-based infotainment system was rebranded as the Joybox for the Routan application, but the hardware is identical to the Chrysler unit.
The interior door panel trim is Routan-specific and does not cross to the Grand Caravan or Town and Country panels. The door panel designs incorporate VW-specific materials and color schemes. Door panel fastener hardware and the panel-to-door attachment method are shared with the Chrysler siblings, but the panels themselves require Routan-specific part numbers.
The second-row seating is the most significant interior difference between the Routan and its Chrysler siblings. The Routan was not offered with Chrysler's Stow and Go second-row seat system, which folds the seats into recesses in the floor. Instead, the Routan uses conventional captain's chairs in the second row under the Easy Out Roller Seat designation, providing more comfort than the thinner Stow and Go seats. These Routan-specific second-row seat assemblies do not cross to the Grand Caravan or Town and Country second-row Stow and Go seats in their standard configuration. The floor pockets for the Stow and Go system are present in the Routan floor structure, inherited from the shared platform, but the second-row seat hardware that uses those pockets is not installed. Third-row seating folds flat into the floor and crosses to the Chrysler siblings.
Electrical and TIPM
The Routan's electrical architecture is fully Chrysler-sourced. The Totally Integrated Power Module, known as the TIPM, is the Chrysler unit used across the RT platform minivan family. The TIPM software and calibration are Chrysler-specific and are not shared with any VW platform. This has a practical service implication: VW dealership diagnostic tools may not fully support TIPM diagnosis on the Routan, and Chrysler or FCA dealership tools are generally more effective for TIPM-related electrical faults. Routan owners and service advisors have documented this limitation in community forums, noting that fuel pump relay faults within the TIPM are more reliably diagnosed at a Chrysler-equipped shop.
The TIPM part number for the Routan crosses to the contemporaneous Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country TIPM for the same model year and engine configuration. A recall covering 2009 and 2010 Routans was issued to replace key fobs and ignition switches due to a risk of inadvertent key displacement from the Run position while driving; this recall is specific to the Routan VIN range and should be noted in service history documentation for affected vehicles.
The steering wheel is a Chrysler unit rebadged with the VW logo on the airbag cover. The airbag cover with the VW logo is Routan-specific; the steering wheel structure, the airbag module and inflator, the clock spring, and the horn assembly underneath the cover are all Chrysler units that cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country.
HVAC, Sliding Doors, and Common Service Items
The HVAC system, including the blower motor, evaporator, heater core, expansion valve, compressor, and all associated lines and hoses, is fully Chrysler-sourced and crosses to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country. The heater hose assembly in particular is documented as a common service item on the RT platform minivans. Catalog entries for heater hoses on the Routan should cross to the Chrysler siblings and note that heater hose failure is a documented service frequency item for this platform.
The sliding door tracks and sliding door hardware are shared with the Grand Caravan and Town and Country and also carry a service frequency note in community documentation. Sliding door roller and track wear is a known maintenance category for the RT platform. Parts for this system cross freely to the Chrysler siblings.
Cooling system components including the radiator, thermostat, water pump, and coolant reservoir cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country by engine code and model year. The Mopar-specified engine coolant type applies to the Routan; no VW-branded coolant specification is relevant.
Spark plugs, ignition coils, oxygen sensors, and catalytic converter assemblies all cross to the contemporaneous Grand Caravan and Town and Country by engine code and model year. These are high-frequency service items that benefit from the broad supply chain established for Chrysler RT platform minivans.
Cross-References That Hold
All powertrain components cross to the contemporaneous Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country by engine code and model year: all 3.8L V6, 4.0L V6, and 3.6L Pentastar engine-internal and fuel system parts; 62TE transmission internal components and fluid; exhaust system components; and all engine-related sensors and emissions hardware.
All brake components cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country by model year: front and rear rotors, calipers, brake pads, master cylinder, ABS modulator, and wheel speed sensors.
Platform-level suspension geometry components cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country: front lower control arm, front hub and bearing, front strut tower hardware, steering rack, inner and outer tie rod ends, and rear axle beam. Spring, shock absorber, and stabilizer bar part numbers should be confirmed at the OEM level before the Chrysler cross-reference is published.
Sliding door assemblies, sliding door tracks and rollers, windshield glass, HVAC components, cooling system components, electrical modules (TIPM, BCM, PCM), wiring harnesses, steering column, front door structural shells, and all third-row seating hardware cross to the Grand Caravan and Town and Country.
Cross-References That Do Not Hold
The front bumper cover and fascia, VW grille, front fenders, hood, and headlamp assemblies are all Routan-specific and do not cross to the Grand Caravan or Town and Country front clip. These require Routan OEM or Routan-specific aftermarket part numbers.
The rear bumper cover and fascia, liftgate assembly, rear spoiler, and taillamp assemblies are all Routan-specific and do not cross to the Grand Caravan or Town and Country rear clip.
Interior door panel trim assemblies are Routan-specific and do not cross to Grand Caravan or Town and Country door panels, which use different material specifications and design language.
The second-row captain's chairs under the Easy Out Roller Seat designation are Routan-specific and do not cross to the Grand Caravan or Town and Country Stow and Go second-row seat assemblies. The floor pocket structure is present in the Routan floor but the seat hardware that uses it is not installed and is a Chrysler-only fitment.
No VW engine, transmission, fluid specification, or diagnostic software applies to the Routan. The Routan carries no VW-sourced mechanical content. Any catalog entry that lists a VW part number for an engine, transmission, or powertrain component on the Routan is incorrect.
Common ACES/PIES Catalog Mistakes
1. Treating the Routan as a VW-platform vehicle for engine and drivetrain lookups. The Routan carries no VW mechanical content. Catalog systems that route a Routan VIN or year/make/model query to VW engine families, VW transmission types, or VW fluid specifications will return wrong parts for every powertrain service item. The correct parent application for all engine, transmission, brake, and suspension components is the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country for the same model year and engine code.
2. Applying a single engine listing across the full 2009 to 2014 window. The engine family changes completely at the 2011 model year. The 2009 and 2010 models use the 3.8L V6 or the 4.0L V6. The 2011 through 2014 models use the 3.6L Pentastar V6 exclusively. No engine-internal component crosses between these two sub-windows. A catalog that does not split at 2011 will supply wrong spark plugs, ignition coils, oxygen sensors, catalytic converters, and all fuel system components for half the vehicles in the window.
3. Listing VW DSG fluid, VW ATF, or VW-branded transmission fluids for the Routan. The 62TE transaxle requires Chrysler ATF+4 specification fluid throughout the production window. No VW fluid specification applies. Supplying an incompatible fluid will damage the 62TE clutch packs and friction elements. This error occurs when catalog systems pull transmission fluid listings from the VW side of the Routan's dual identity rather than from the Chrysler side.
4. Crossing Grand Caravan front fascia, headlamps, or rear taillamps to the Routan. The front and rear clip are entirely VW-specific. A Grand Caravan bumper cover does not fit a Routan bumper aperture in the correct finished appearance, and the headlamp and taillamp housings are dimensionally and cosmetically incompatible. Any collision repair listing that substitutes Grand Caravan front or rear lighting and fascia parts for Routan-specific components will supply wrong parts.
5. Applying Grand Caravan spring and shock absorber part numbers to the Routan without OEM part number verification. The Routan received a VW-specified suspension tune with different spring rates, shock valving, and stabilizer bar diameters from the standard Grand Caravan setup. For structural suspension geometry parts the cross-reference holds; for spring, shock, and sway bar specifications the part numbers may differ and should be confirmed against Routan-specific OEM references before publication.
6. Crossing Grand Caravan second-row Stow and Go seat assemblies to the Routan. The Routan uses a non-folding captain's chair second-row seat under the Easy Out Roller Seat designation. These assemblies are Routan-specific and are not interchangeable with the Chrysler Stow and Go hardware. The floor pockets are present structurally but the seat hardware that uses them is a Chrysler-only installation.
7. Listing the Routan as a retail application for 2013 and 2014 without noting the fleet-only designation. The 2013 and 2014 Routans were produced exclusively for fleet purchasers in a combined volume of approximately 2,500 units. A catalog that carries a 2013 or 2014 Routan retail application without this context may create confusion in service environments where the model year designation implies normal consumer market availability.
8. Applying interior door panel cross-references from the Grand Caravan or Town and Country to the Routan. Interior door panel trim is Routan-specific in its material specification and design. The door structure and glass hardware crosses, but the panel itself requires a Routan OEM part number. Catalog systems that source door panel trim from the Chrysler siblings will supply panels with the wrong surface material and the wrong VW-appropriate color and trim design.
Pre-Listing Checklist for the 2009 to 2014 Routan
• Engine sub-window confirmed: 2009 to 2010 uses 3.8L V6 or 4.0L V6; 2011 to 2014 uses 3.6L Pentastar V6 only; all engine, fuel, and emissions listings split at 2011
• Transmission confirmed as Chrysler 62TE six-speed automatic transaxle; fluid confirmed as Chrysler ATF+4; no VW transmission or fluid specification applied
• All powertrain cross-references sourced from Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country by engine code and model year, not from any VW platform vehicle
• Front clip components listed as Routan-specific: front bumper cover, grille, front fenders, hood, headlamp assemblies; no Grand Caravan or Town and Country front clip cross-references applied
• Rear clip components listed as Routan-specific: rear bumper cover, liftgate, rear spoiler, taillamp assemblies; no Grand Caravan or Town and Country rear clip cross-references applied
• Brake components confirmed as Chrysler RT platform, crossing to Grand Caravan and Town and Country; no VW brake system cross-references applied
• Suspension geometry components cross to Grand Caravan and Town and Country; spring, shock absorber, and stabilizer bar part numbers confirmed against Routan OEM references before cross-reference is published
• Second-row seat assemblies listed as Routan-specific Easy Out Roller Seat; Chrysler Stow and Go second-row seat cross-reference excluded
• Interior door panel trim listed as Routan-specific; door structural shell hardware crosses to Chrysler siblings
• TIPM and electrical modules cross to Grand Caravan and Town and Country; VW diagnostic platform not applicable
• 2013 and 2014 model year noted as fleet-only production; retail application designation not applied to these years
• Assembly origin confirmed as Windsor Assembly Plant, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Final Take
The Routan is one of the clearest examples in the aftermarket catalog of a vehicle whose nameplate identity and its parts identity point in different directions. The VW badge on the grille suggests a European-platform vehicle to catalog systems built around manufacturer logic. The actual parts map is almost entirely the Chrysler RT platform minivan family, with a narrow band of VW-specific sheet metal and interior trim wrapped around it.
Getting the Routan catalog right requires two clear commitments. First, all powertrain and chassis service parts must route to the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country by engine code and model year, not to any VW source. Second, the front and rear fascia, the lighting assemblies, the interior door panels, and the second-row seats must be listed under Routan-specific OEM part numbers with no Chrysler cross-reference. Every other component in the vehicle falls cleanly into one of those two categories. The 2011 engine transition from the 3.8L and 4.0L family to the 3.6L Pentastar is the only sub-window boundary that requires active management once the basic catalog structure is established.
Disclaimer
This guide is intended for catalog research, fitment analysis, and parts advisory reference. Production specifications, option availability, and regulatory compliance requirements vary by model year, regional market, and assembly date within any given window. Always confirm application data against vehicle identification number decoding, factory build sheets, and OEM parts documentation before finalizing a listing or parts recommendation. PartsAdvisory and its contributors are not responsible for fitment errors arising from catalog data that has not been independently verified against physical vehicle inspection or official OEM sources.