Most common 2011 Volkswagen Eos problems
Share of the 18 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Eos complaints by model year
Best Eos years: 2015, 2016, 2011. Years to avoid: 2012, 2009, 2010, 2008, 2014. Compare all years →
2011 Volkswagen Eos recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2011 Volkswagen Eos:
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta…
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of steering wheel clock spring/steering column control module (SCCM) failures in model year (MY) 2012 Volkswagen Passat and CC models.The SCCM is a module within the steering column that incorporates a spiral conductor (a ribbon cable) to electrically connect the steering wheel to the vehicle's electrical system while…
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta…
What 2011 Volkswagen Eos owners say
Air bags
Takata recall. I was informed of the recall on my airbag a year ago, on February 9, 2016. Vw does not yet have a repair available. I believe a year with a defective and dangerous airbag is too long to wait.
Takata recall. Receive notice that I have faulty Takata airbags a few years ago. Approximately one year later I received a notice that a temporary repair was available that would swap the original airbag with a replacement module of the original design that did not include a drying agent. That notice was clear that this was only an interim repair until a redesigned unit is available. I had the interim repair done on my vehicle. I noticed now that when searching for recalls, it says there are no active recalls on my vehicle. This is very concerning because they have not addressed the underlying design defect, and because there is not an active recall on the vehicle it seems that at this time it will not be fixed. Please contact Volkswagen and ensure that they are addressing the needed redesign of the airbag module. Thank you
2011 Volkswagen Eos engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Volkswagen Eos a good car?
Based on 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Eos rates better than average: 53% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Eos at the same age. It is one of the best Eos years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Volkswagen Eos?
The air bags — 10 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (2) and electrical system (2).
How many recalls does the 2011 Volkswagen Eos have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2011 Volkswagen Eos, the most recent from March 6, 2018 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Eos?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2016 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2009, 2010, 2008 and 2014. See the full Volkswagen Eos years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Volkswagen Eos problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.