AI Damage2009 Volkswagen EOS: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Volkswagen EOS filed 84 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 84
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 43% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 26% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 5 Electronic stability control 14% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 36 complaints (43% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 22 complaints (26% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 13 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electronic stability control: 12 complaints (14% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 84 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 36 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Last week the abs light and and engine light and brake light went on and my car lost power and control on a busy highway at night leaving me on the side of the rode in danger and had to call aaa.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. There were no injuries. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 16v913000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electronic stability control). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
Oil leaking from engine onto the water pump. Now, the abs and traction electrical system is completely messed up and I can't drive it. Estimation of $2500 worth of work.
This car had suddenly jerked forward when pulling away from a stop at an intersection the day before; after the sudden jump forward the car resumed a normal acceleration. Insurer and dealer have assured us they will investigate.
No lights came on about this. Dealership has had car for 3+ weeks "waiting for parts". VW North America does not want to get involved. To kill the engine I had to pull the fuel pump fuse.
approximately 6 years my daughter and her boyfriend were driving and she heard a loud pop sound, and thought it might be a tire but it wasnt behaving like it was and then all of the sudden people are driving next to her telling her to pull over cuz the car was on fire, she pulled it over and as soon as she got out the…
The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a persistent oil leak on the ground. The vehicle had undergone three separate repairs to resolve the failure, but the oil leak persisted.
There are also loud clunking noises coming from what I believe is the transmission at each start causing the PRNDL to flash and no power for reverse and drive. I believe all of this will eventually cause a collision as it appears to other vehicles that I should be moving.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,956 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the EOS has 39 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 84, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen EOS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 84. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), jerking, harsh shifts (8%), transmission slipping (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Volkswagen EOS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Volkswagen EOS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.