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2020 Ford Edge: hesitation when accelerating

28 of the 331 complaints about the 2020 Ford Edge describe hesitation when accelerating.

owner complaints
28
of this car's complaints
8%
typical mileage
100,000
recalls
2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 24 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Hesitation when accelerating by model year

What owners say

Filed Oct 19, 2026 · Transmission · 107,000 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the diagnosis determined that the torque converter required replacement. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Engine · KY

Car stutters, shudders, and hesitates from stopped position. Vehicle does not excelerate smoothly. Safety concern when pulling out into traffic, crossing intersection, or leaving stop. Paducah Ford said it is torque converter and independent mechanic says that as well. Ford issued tech service information concerning shudder for Ford Edge 8F35 transmission and provides a repair procedure for torque converter and output planetary assembly. I am concerned because it may represent a recurring safety related defect affecting other Ford Edge vehicles

Filed Aug 9, 2026 · Transmission · GA

Our 2020 Ford Edge SEL has experienced ongoing shuddering and hesitation while driving. The Ford dealership inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the torque converter as the likely cause, recommending approximately $4,500 in repairs. The torque converter has not been replaced and is available for inspection. We obtained a second opinion from an independent repair shop, which replaced the EGR sensors and updated them in an attempt to resolve the issue. The problem has created a safety concern because the vehicle does not always accelerate or operate normally while driving. The exact cause remains UNKNOWN, and the issue has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives.

Filed Jul 31, 2026 · Acceleration, Transmission · MO

Transmission shutter caused by faulty torque converter. Vehicle hesitates at times leading to unsafe conditions when merging or pulling out into traffic.

Filed Jul 24, 2026 · Transmission · SC

The vehicle hesitates, jumps, and then surges into gear when accelerating from low speed, which I believe makes it difficult and hazardous merging into traffic and other driving situations. Due to the hesitation it is unable to get up to speed very easily or quickly on busy interstate roads. The hesitation, jumping, and surging has gotten progressively worse and occurs at higher speeds now. It seems like it now does this during each gear shift. I am a longtime Ford owner I previously drove a 2001 F150 with little to no problems, it reached around 280,000 miles before it's trade in. I now have a 2020 Edge SEL 2.0 AWD and have really enjoyed this car until this problem started. It was bought in March of 2024 with 62k miles and it now has 92k. The problem initially only surfaced after the car had bene on and moving for a while and it was very subtle. I could not tell if it was engine or tranny and it was only barely noticeable. But the issue has remained and now occurs at all periods of time when being driven. I have had this vehicle inspected by multiple service centers now, both of which confirm the problem being that when shifting gears the internal parts of the transmission slip causing wear and extra heat generation, leading to the slipping and jumping. The transmission needs to either be rebuilt or replaced due to its faulty initial construction. I have been told by these mechanics that they have had to do this exact replace on many of this exact same model of car, and similarly each time they've done it the models are typically around 80,000-90,000 miles not even making it to 100,000. There were no warning lights or messages and there still aren't any even after getting it looked at twice.

Filed Jul 20, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Recently had the torque converter replaced for shuddering/shifting weird. Although there is no more shuddering, the car still does not seem to be shifting correctly. It hesitates between shifting gears and will then accelerate quickly. It was seen at the shop again today and they could not find any issues with it although I was told it will likely do it again for me and to let them know. There have not been an indicator lights.

Filed Jul 18, 2026 · Transmission · TX

Hesitation with shifting when driving at low speeds. The powertrain control system has detected one of the transmission clutches did not apply within the expected time as expected. Some transmission gears may not being available resulting in delayed or harsh shifts into another gear.

Filed May 16, 2026 · Transmission · OH

My 2020 Ford Edge SEL, has started to do harsh shifting, shuddering, and some hesitation. I have kept up on the maintenance. I have had the transmission fluid drained and replaced already. My car is available for inspection if requested. An independent shop has confirmed the issue. I was informed that the torque convertor might need replaced. It has not been inspected by anyone else, except what is done when getting an oil change at the dealership. No lights came on and I did not receive any warnings. This originally started in December.

Filed Jan 24, 2026 · Transmission · SD

At approximately 82,000 miles, the vehicle began exhibiting transmission shuddering, hesitation, and harsh engagement at low speeds (under approx. 35 mph). The condition progressively worsened, resulting in jerking and delayed acceleration from a stop, creating unsafe driving conditions in traffic. At approximately 86,000 miles the transmission issues continued to worsen, and I therefore determined the vehicle unsafe to operate and brought it to the dealership for service. Upon inspection, I was informed by the dealership that the vehicle transmission required removal and replacement due to internal faults. These conditions, symptoms and internal faults are consistent with known issues documented by Ford Technical Service Bulletins for the 8F35 transmission used in the 2020 Ford Edge.

Filed Jan 4, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · CT

Component or system that failed or malfunctioned, and availability for inspection The torque converter and transmission system in my 2020 Ford Edge have malfunctioned. The vehicle experiences transmission shuddering/stuttering during normal driving, particularly during low-speed acceleration and gear changes. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk The transmission stuttering causes hesitation, jerking, and unpredictable power delivery while driving. This creates a safety risk, especially when accelerating from a stop, merging into traffic, or driving at low speeds in congested areas. The lack of smooth and reliable acceleration increases the risk of rear-end collisions or loss of control, putting both myself and other drivers at risk. Confirmation or reproduction of the problem The issue has been consistently reproducible during normal operation of the vehicle. The symptoms have been observed repeatedly and were confirmed by a dealer/independent service center, which identified the torque converter and transmission as the source of the problem and advised that significant repairs or replacement would be required. Inspections performed The vehicle has been inspected by a dealership and/or independent repair facility. The manufacturer has not yet directly inspected the vehicle beyond dealer diagnostics, but the vehicle is available for further inspection if requested. Warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to failure There were no immediate warning lamps at the onset of the issue. The primary symptoms were transmission shuddering, stuttering, and rough shifting, which gradually worsened over time.These symptoms first appeared during regular driving and became more frequent and severe, indicating progressive failure of the torque converter and transmission system.

Filed Sep 19, 2025 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Sep 9, 2025 · Transmission · NH

Starting at 75,000 miles the car would start jerking. It hesitates shifting between 2-3 gears. This is a HUGE safety issue, if I am driving on the highway and my car hesitates or stalls all together at high speed, lives would be lost. I took my car to the dealer for a consult and confirmed that the transmission is not shifting correctly. However no warning light, codes etc come up when they do their scan. I was told it is my issue and I need to replace my transmission.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Power train: driveline: driveshaftReported January 15, 2021 · 147 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Edge, 2020 Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Escape and 2021 Lincoln Corsair and Ford Bronco Sport vehicles. An inadequate amount of lubricant in the rear drive unit may cause seizure of the rear drive axle.
Risk
If the rear drive unit seizes, there may be a loss of drive and/or a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the rear drive unit lubricant level. Axles found to have lubricant at the minimum level will be filled to the full level. Axles found to be below the minimum lubricant fill level will be replaced, free of charge. This recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S02.

Recall number 21V011000 · Recall details

Power train: automatic transmissionReported September 10, 2020 · 97 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Edge, Transit Connect and Lincoln MKX and 2020 Escape and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing or loose bolts.
Risk
Missing or loose bolts on the start stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission fluid leak and may progress to a loss of transmission function. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the start/stop accumulator, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S49.

Recall number 20V550000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2020 Ford Edge hesitation

Is hesitation when accelerating a common problem on the 2020 Ford Edge?

28 of 331 owner complaints about the 2020 Ford Edge (8%) mention hesitation when accelerating. The model year with the most reports is 2019.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2020 Ford Edge?

There are 2 recalls and 24 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2020 Ford Edge

Jerking 68Shudder 62Transmission failure 34Backup camera 21Stalling 18Check engine light 14Collision warning 13Slipping 13Won't shift 9Sunroof shattered 9Grinding brakes 8Overheating 8Engine failure 7Loss of power 7Seat belt 7Sudden acceleration 6Adaptive cruise 5Fire or smoke 5Harsh shifting 5Screen failure 5

All model years of the Ford Edge

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