2008 Ford Edge: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Oct 24, 2023 · Transmission · MO

The transmission randomly gets stuck in 1st gear and won’t shift beyond that. The RPMs rev up real high and the only way to fix it is to pull off the road and turn the car off and back on. The transmission also bumps really hard shifting sometimes or revs up real high before shifting with a big thud. The dealership says they can’t diagnose it if it’s not doing it when I bring it in. They said the same thing about my alternator when it kept going out on me driving. They never could get it to mess up when they had it.

Filed Aug 6, 2019 · Acceleration, Engine · 97,000 miles · GA

The wrench light will come on when driving the vehicle, and power is lost. My car will slow down to around 10-20 MPH no matter where I am or how fast I am going. This is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed by ford. I have been on I-10 with my husband and toddler and the vehicle goes into this "limp mode" at 80 MPH! I am so terrified to drive a vehicle that I have to pay every month for. Mechanics that have looked at the car have no definitive answer to problem, they suggested that the throttle body be cleaned. We did that and it was no help. The vehicle left me and my son stranded this morning on the side of the highway because I could not get it out of the "safety limp mode". Usually, I can pull over, park, and shut the car off for a few minutes, then turn it on and it would work again. This morning, it would not reset itself. I would appreciate any help or advice on this matter.

Filed Jul 12, 2019 · Transmission · 107,500 miles · NY

While normally driving, the "wrench" light will come on and the vehicle goes into a low-power "limp mode". So I pull over immediately, and put the vehicle in park, shut it off, and remove the key. I sit with it powered off for about a 10 second count, and restart the engine. The wrench light goes off, and I can drive normally until it happens again.

Filed Nov 26, 2018 · Transmission · 58,000 miles · TX

While you start to drive from a stop light or stop sign, the car will not shift out of low and the engine will rev up and car will be at a crawl while trying to cross the intersection safely. While backing up, the transmission seems to slam it into reverse where you hear a loud bang and the car suddenly jerks as if you have hit something. While accelerating to get onto the freeway, the transmission shifts into low gear, stays in low and can't get up the speed to get on the freeway safely. The problem occurred at first sporadically, then when I would get home, turn off the car and then wait for a few minutes, it was as if the computer had reset and it worked find. As time went on, it occurred more frequently and turning off the vehicle was not an option. I have recently replaced the transmission and no more problems have occurred. Mileage on my vehicle is approximately 102k miles, but the problem started occurring around 58k miles.

Filed Jan 29, 2018 · Transmission · 104,000 miles · CO

Check engline light & wrench comes on and the 2008 edge suddenly lost power, then entered "limp mode". My husband took it in 3 different times to the service department, and each time was told they couldn't find the problem. The 4th time I had the same problem on a 45mph, 3 lane road. The power just went out, accelarator no longer worked, but then returned but only about 5mph. Lucky I wasn't killed! I took it back to service dept. And told them they needed to check the throttle body (etb). They laughed at me, but then called 3 days later to tell me that it is the etb and over $750. I contacted ford as they had issued the so-called "customer satisfaction program" extending the etb warranty coverage for up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles. Ford says all vehicles are eligible for the program, regardless of mileage, but not 2008. Though they acknowledged they know the problem goes back to 2005 models, they feel my car is too old & has too many miles at 104k. This is a life threatening problem and ford refuses to do anything. When someone dies because of this known issue, I hope that ford executives are held as complicitors in premeditated murder. After all the problems with the brakes, no parts available, and now this, I will never buy another ford and will get this piece of junk out of my life asap.

Filed Mar 15, 2017 · Transmission · 101,000 miles · CA

Odo error data error while driving. Odometer stops working, wrench light turns on, then air bag light. Loss of power, transmission gets stuck in gear. You can't accelerate and have to cruise on to the right to pull over. Happened twice, once on the freeway. Code goes to the speed sensor which controls the transmission shifting. After you turn off your car and turn it on code resets however car is stuck in gear. After a few hard shifts finally goes back into gear. Ford dealership says common problem however can't figure out if its a harness or the sensors. Replacing sensors requires dropping the transmission.

Filed Oct 26, 2016 · Transmission · NC

2008 ford edge transmission issues. The transmission does not shift properly and sticks in gear and shifts very erratically. It happens at least once a day or more depending on how often it is driven. The car has become unresponsive at different times to the the gas pedal and has actually shut off in the middle of the road, we were able to coast barely to safety. From reading ford forums it is a very common problem, and ford knows about it but will do nothing to correct the problem. We do not feel safe many times driving the car not knowing what the transmission will or won't do next,.

Filed Jun 16, 2016 · Transmission · 170,000 miles · TX

The car jerks into gear in drive and reverse. When the car is still and pushing on the gas to begin to drive, the tachometer revs past 3 and the speedometer is baring moving and the car is not accelerating. It hard shifts into gear (drive and reverse) and at times won't shift into gear at all. No acceleration in the car and very difficult to drive as shifting into gears is hard and jerks the car.

Filed May 17, 2016 · Transmission · 47,000 miles · TX

Wrench appeared on dash. Car went into "limp mode" would not accelerate rapidly. Speedometer would not register.

Filed Mar 31, 2016 · Electrical, Transmission · 91,000 miles · FL

Same complaint as dozens of other 2008 ford edge owners. Odo error comes up, almost all warning lights come on, tach and speedometer go to zero and car is stuck in gear making is almost impossible to accelerate from a stop. This has happened several times but is starting to happen more frequently and usually on the highway. This is clearly a dangerous defect that ford needs to address asap before people are seriously injured.

Filed Feb 22, 2016 · Transmission · 107,000 miles · KY

I have a 2008 ford edge limited. I noticed that when I would get stuck in stop and go traffic the car would not shift from first to second gear. I would have to pull over put it in park and then try to go. This has happened quite a few times. My most recent incident was pulling into a parking garage and needing to back up. When I put the car in reverse it would not engage. It took several times moving from neutral to reverse for it to finally catch with a hard jerk.

Filed Jan 12, 2016 · Transmission · 111,000 miles · MN

I purchased this vehicle, 2008 ford edge sel awd november 2014 with approximately 82,000 miles on it. Last night when driving home in very slow traffic 5 to 10 MPH due to snow on the highway when traffic picked up speed I couldn't accelerate as the RPM picked up but the transmission wouldn't shift out of low. My ford edge acted like it wouldn't shift up from low so I could keep up with traffic. I had to pull over on the shoulder not knowing what to do next. I turned the engine off and restarted and it accelerated fine so I could keep up with the major traffic flow. And I did notice recently it does make a clunk when I shift into reverse. Major safety issue here as not being able to get out of traffic quickly and safely and having to pull over on the shoulder to turn the engine off and restart if there even is a shoulder to pull over too could be a danger to myself and others.