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ProblemsByVin File / 2013-VOLKSWAGEN-EOS NHTSA data synced 3 days ago
Volkswagen

2013 Volkswagen Eos problems

The 2013 Volkswagen Eos has 2 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 26 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.

Ask A Mechanic

The 2013 Volkswagen Eos has 26 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 16 complaints, typically surfacing around 27,704 miles (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

Volkswagen Eos owner complaints by model year
Model yearOwner complaintsRecalls
2010 Eos 69 2
2011 Eos 18 2
2012 Eos 94 4
2013 Eos (this page) 26 4
2014 Eos 40 3
2015 Eos 3 2
2016 Eos 4 2
2013 Volkswagen Eos
Photo: Vauxford / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · representative photo of the Volkswagen Eos
0 5 10
Reliability score
6.8 / 10

Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.

2
Critical
2
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2013 Eos?
Acceptable — with caveats

Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.

Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.

Buying a used 2013 Volkswagen Eos? Check these first

Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.

What to inspect on this specific car

⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 67,500 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.

Recalls to confirm are done

Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.

Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is airbags (~$1,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.

We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.

See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →
✦ Ask the data · AI

Ask anything about your 2013 Volkswagen Eos

A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.

Dash light, leak, worn part — snap it and we'll read it against this car's record.

Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.

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<iframe src="https://problemsbyvin.com/embed/reliability/2013-volkswagen-eos/" width="100%" height="340" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;max-width:640px" title="2013 Volkswagen Eos reliability snapshot" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#64748b;max-width:640px;margin:6px 0 0">Source: <a href="https://problemsbyvin.com/2013-volkswagen-eos/" style="color:#b8540a;font-weight:600">2013 Volkswagen Eos reliability snapshot — ProblemsByVin</a></p>

Top trouble spots 2 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
16 reports · fails ~27,704 mi · avg $1,100
moderate
electrical
4 reports · fails ~67,500 mi · avg $850
severe
Buyer's checklist
Going to look at one? Use the pre-purchase inspection list.
Generated from this 2013 Eos's actual NHTSA complaint history — every item points at a documented failure pattern on this exact vehicle, not generic walkaround filler.
See the checklist ->
Honest Calculator
Should you buy an extended warranty on this 2013 Eos?
We pulled the math: risk-weighted exposure, typical contract cost, and our verdict on whether coverage pencils out for this specific vehicle.
See the calculator ->

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2013 Eos · electrical
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…
12/07/2020 · at 22,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #11378310.0 · see electrical pattern →
2013 Eos · airbags
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen eos. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v078000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer…
2013 Eos · airbags
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…
11/09/2018 · at 45,408 mi · NHTSA ODI #11150404.0 · see airbags pattern →
2013 Eos · suspension
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen eos. While driving various speeds, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel…
10/27/2017 · at 13,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #11040548.0
View all 26 owner complaints →
Had a problem with your 2013 Volkswagen Eos? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 4

critical NHTSA 18V148000 March 6, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
critical NHTSA 16V078000 February 10, 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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 when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
severe NHTSA 18V329000 May 16, 2018

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc

If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
View all 4 recalls →

Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA

EA Air Bags › Frontal · opened April 2018

NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA18003 on NHTSA →

How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →

Common questions

Is the 2013 Volkswagen Eos reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Volkswagen Eos has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

Should you avoid the 2013 Volkswagen Eos?

The 2013 Volkswagen Eos is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

What should I check before buying a used 2013 Volkswagen Eos?

Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 16 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 27,704 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.

Is the 2013 Volkswagen Eos a good used car to buy?

It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 26 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Typical failure occurs around 27,704 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.

What's the most common problem on the 2013 Volkswagen Eos?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 16 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 27,704 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 27,704 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Volkswagen Eos has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2013 Volkswagen Eos?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 26 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.

Related

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 3 days ago. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Volkswagen/Eos. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Volkswagen. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
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