Problems · by component

2009 Volkswagen Eos power train problems

36 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Eos cite power train, 43% of all 84 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
36
43% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“While in slow traffic and transmission in Drive position, if I slow down or stop for traffic in front of me or a red light, the transmission does not engage again when given acceleration. I have shut the car off and restarted again, sometimes more than once to get it to engage and get me out of traffic. I have held up traffic behind me. 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. People have also become very frustrated with my vehicle holding up traffic, especially on the busiest of days and long lines waiting to advance behind me. People have become impatient and angry to the point of road rage. Thankfully, no one has actually tried to hurt me physically. The date below would be the latest incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2025Power trainODI 11685828
“I slowly at 5mph went over a bump and my car went automatically into neutral, all of the P R N D S lights on the dash started blinking and the car just kept revving when I tried to put it into gear. I had the car towed to the dealership and it is currently there. I looked on Kelly Blue Book and saw there was a recall for my vehicle type and the recall states exactly what happened to my car. Can my VIN number be added to this recall since it is the very same mechanical issue? Here is the information I found on the recall NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 09V333000 Report Date: AUG 20, 2009 Vehicles Affected: 16000 What You Should Do: VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, INSPECT THE DSG AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE AN AFFECTED DSG TEMPERATURE SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987. Summary: VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2023Power trainODI 11551092
“ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON, CAR SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL ON IT'S OWN. FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, BECAUSE OF THE NEUTRAL SHIFT THERE IS NO POWER. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE CAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2021Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11399804
“HARSH/JERKY SHIFTING IN DSG POWER TRAIN UNIT. TYPICALLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. THIS CONDITION PREVIOUS INVESTIGATED THROUGH CLOSED CASE # PE09035. ISSUE RELATES TO EXCESS WEAR IN SOLENOID BUSHINGS. PREVIOUSLY REPORT BY NHTSA THAT VW ISSUED EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 10YEARS/100,000 MILES. CAR WAS WITHIN LIMITS BUT VW REFUSED REPAIR SAYING MECHATRONIC UNIT (WHERE THE DEFECTIVE VALVES ARE LOCATED) NOT COVERED BY AGREEMENT WITH NHTSA. CURRENT NHTSA WEB PAGES APPARENTLY INCORRECTLY REPORT THAT VW DOES REPLACE DEFECTIVE UNITS. JERKING IS DANGEROUS IN PARKING MANEUVERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2020Power trainODI 11297785
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN EOS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND THE RPMS INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH PRESENTED THE POTENTIAL RISK OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS EXLCUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V333000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE09035 (POWER TRAIN), BUT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR. VOLKSWAGEN VAN NUYS (6115 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401, (818) 785-7571) WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS CURRENTLY SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED THE DEALER REPLACE THE SAME OEM TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,700.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2019Power trainODI 11229591
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN EOS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE RPMS ACCELERATED ON THEIR OWN. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE GEAR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE TURNING ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN VAN NUYS (LOCATED AT 6115 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401, (818) 785-7571) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,790.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2019Power trainODI 11229363

Showing 6 of 36 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH. IN ADDITION, THE "DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL" INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

Power trainReported Aug 20, 2009NHTSA 09V333000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.