Most common 2013 Volkswagen Eos problems
Share of the 26 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 →
2013 Volkswagen Eos recalls (4)
Unknown or other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018.
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 › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification…
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 2013 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 2013 Volkswagen Eos owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Eos. The contact stated while having a routine check at the dealer, the mechanic informed the contact that the horn was not functioning and that the clockspring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the clockspring needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under warranty or recall. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Takata recall on 10/19/18 I took my car to the dealership so that they could install the new airbag inflator kit due to the recall. A few days later I noticed my horn was not working. I returned to the dealership on 11/9/18 only to be told I need to replace the entire airbag because the brackets connecting to the airbag are not sending a good signal to the horn. However I went online and one of the items clearly called out with the recall is "do not pull on the horn switch feed pigtail wire to disengage the connector from the driver airbag housing or to disconnect the horn switch to steering wheel wire harness connection. Improper pulling on this pigtail wire or connection can result in damage to the horn switch membrane or feed circuit." although I have a warranty I was told my issue is not covered and that I need to pay $598.00 pre tax to fix the issue. …
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Eos. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost power and shifted into neutral. Also, the service vehicle warning indicator illuminated. The contact's diagnostic trouble code reader provided code: u0103. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was 29,500.
While driving at 50 miles per hour, vehicle shifted itself to neutral... Slowly changed lanes to emergency lane and came to a hault. Placed car on park tested reverse and it worked...place on drive and car drove on... A vw mechanic tels me it could be a transmision multiswitch problem; do you have history or record of such scary problem with Eos???
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Eos. The contact stated while having a routine check at the dealer, the mechanic informed the contact that the horn was not functioning and that the clockspring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the clockspring needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not under warranty or recall. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 108,000.
In normal driving, I turned steering wheel to pull into a parking space and there was a snap in the steering wheel. This sound was the electrical connection to the steering wheel breaking away. I lost key functions from the steering wheel including the airbag, horn, and steering mounted controls.
2013 Volkswagen Eos engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Volkswagen Eos a good car?
Based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Eos rates average: 29% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Eos at the same age. 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 2013 Volkswagen Eos?
The air bags — 19 complaints, 73% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › driver clockspring/spiral cassette. Next are the engine & cooling (3) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2013 Volkswagen Eos have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Eos, the most recent from May 16, 2018 (unknown or other). 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 2013 Volkswagen Eos problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 30,000 miles; 70% 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.