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2018 Ford Edge: hesitation when accelerating

18 of the 856 complaints about the 2018 Ford Edge describe hesitation when accelerating.

owner complaints
18
of this car's complaints
2%
typical mileage
79,000
recalls
2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 16 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Hesitation when accelerating by model year

What owners say

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Engine · AZ

While driving our 2018 Ford Edge we noticed a sudden loss of power, hesitation, white smoke during operation and a loss of coolant. Vehicle idles poorly and sometimes dies when stopped at stop lights.

Filed Oct 8, 2026 · Engine · AL

Vehicle began a slight engine miss and acceleration hesitation occasionally. Over a year it began to be more often. I had the car in for maintenance several time to diagnose the problem but the engine light never came on there was no code. After another year it became worse and the engine light came. The mechanic says that a cylinder has water intrusion from the cooling system. The mechanic states that the vehicle needs a new engine. Research shows this is a common problem with this model engine. Ford has no fix currently for the engine. My mechanic says that a new engine is around $8,000-9,000.00.

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Engine · NY

Significant Coolant loss with no visible leaks. Check engine light indicating cylinder 2 misfire. Large amount of White smoke from exhaust when starting. Car shakes upon start up then goes away after warming up. 74k miles. Complete service history shows that the car has been properly maintained since new. Vehicle seems to hesitate when accelerating from a stopped position.

Filed Nov 19, 2025 · Engine · 89,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine hesitated to turn over. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion in the engine. The vehicle was not repaired due to the costs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · OH

This car hesitates, engine light indicates misfire. Dealer confirms coolant leaking into the engine. I find out now this is a well known and widespread problem with Ford engines in this era. The car is unsafe to drive due to impending sudden and complete engine failure.

Filed Jul 29, 2025 · Engine · 80,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating; however, after driving for a while, the vehicle operated as designed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion in cylinder #2, causing engine failure. The mechanic informed the contact of a Technical Service Bulletin with the federal safety agency ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not covered under recall. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency ID Number: 10214126 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jun 27, 2025 · Transmission · 118,890 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the power train, wrench, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping once the transmission was in 5th gear. The contact stated that while the warning lights were illuminated, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating, and the vehicle was struggling to drive forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the torque converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The clutch was repaired, but not the torque converter. The contact became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign 18V390000 ( Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,890.

Filed Apr 25, 2025 · Engine · 72,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was idling roughly. The contact stated that once the engine had warmed up, the vehicle ran smoothly; however, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle hesitated. The contact stated that the vehicle was lunging forward while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Filed Apr 18, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · VA

The car felt hard idling after putting gas in it or it hesitates to start. The engine light came on after.

Filed Dec 11, 2024 · Engine · 52,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened. The contact also noticed that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle experienced a rough start and was shuddering temporarily. Additionally, the contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop onto the road, the message "Caution - Coolant Temperature Overheat" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal again the vehicle was sputtering and was significantly sluggish. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to accelerate to 30 MPH after driving for 1 mile. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the cylinders. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

Filed Oct 10, 2024 · Engine · 85,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the engine was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Filed Jul 17, 2024 · Engine · 101,000 miles · DE

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly hesitated before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who observed a misfire in cylinder #2, due to coolant intrusion, resulting in engine damage. The contact was informed that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12 (Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 101,000.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Power train: shift linkage/cable/rodReported June 10, 2022 · 2,925,968 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
Risk
A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.

Recall number 22V413000 · Recall details

Power train: automatic transmission: torque converterReported June 11, 2018 · 25 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford Edge and 2017 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.
Risk
If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16 (S2). Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 17V‑427.

Recall number 18V390000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2018 Ford Edge hesitation

Is hesitation when accelerating a common problem on the 2018 Ford Edge?

18 of 856 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford Edge (2%) mention hesitation when accelerating. The model year with the most reports is 2019.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Ford Edge?

There are 2 recalls and 16 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2018 Ford Edge

Check engine light 394Engine failure 214Overheating 210Misfire 196Fire or smoke 58Loss of power 34Stalling 34Jerking 15Shudder 13Backup camera 12Headlights 11Sunroof shattered 10Seat belt 8Won't start 7No deployment 6Fuel smell 6Slipping 5Won't shift 5Transmission failure 5

All model years of the Ford Edge

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