2011 Ford Edge Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 Edge most often describe a brake pedal that sinks to the floor or feels spongy or hard, frequently traced by mechanics to the brake booster, master cylinder or ABS hydraulic unit. Electrical and door-latch complaints are also common, with door ajar warnings, locks and window switches misbehaving, and a smaller group reports fuel odors or leaks near the tank. Many of these reports come in at higher mileages, though brake complaints appear across the range, including well under 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brake pedal sinks to floor / soft or hard pedal

   Mentioned in 42 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the brake pedal traveling to the floorboard, sometimes after hitting a bump or while turning, with the vehicle continuing to roll until the pedal is pumped several times. Some report a hissing or grinding noise, a spongy pedal that slowly sinks, or a pedal that feels hard as a brick. Complaints frequently say a mechanic traced the problem to the brake booster, master cylinder or ABS hydraulic control unit; several note the booster was replaced and the symptom later returned, and some mention parts being on back order. Reported from roughly 38,000 to 197,000 miles, with many around 70,000 to 130,000 miles; some describe it happening after bumps, turns, rain or sudden ABS activation.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Before buying, ask whether the brake booster, master cylinder or ABS hydraulic unit has been replaced, and whether the booster extended-warranty program was applied. During a test drive, press the pedal firmly at low speed and listen for a hissing noise or a pedal that sinks slowly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving in the city was breaking to turn and the pedal compressed all the way to the floor. New rotators, brake pads and tires are on the vehicle and could have caused a major accident. Why has Ford not stepped up and made this recall? I'm scared to drive this vehicle or even put my family in it. Now it just sits parked.”

   NHTSA complaint #11394834, filed 2021-02, 150,000 miles

   “My braking system is malfunctioning while driving. It first appeared when the brake booster went bad on or around 2/6/2020 which I was never notified of by Ford as being a known problem so I had it replaced. Immediately after replacing that part on 2/9/2020 the brakes began to engage and stay engage while driving without depressing the brake pedal. This happened twice and the brakes would disengage once the vehicle was off for hours. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11310648, filed 2020-02, 74,500 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Door ajar warning, latches and lock problems

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the door ajar message or interior lights staying on with all doors closed, doors that fail to lock or unlock automatically, and lock actuators that stop working and drain the battery. A few owners report a front door opening on its own while driving or an outer door handle breaking. Owners often say dealers replaced latch assemblies or actuators, sometimes more than once, and several mention the vehicle was not covered by the door-latch extended coverage program. Typically reported between about 55,000 and 155,000 miles, on vehicles several years old.

   Recall 10V5160006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Close each door and watch for a door ajar message, interior lights that stay on, or locks that cycle on their own. Ask whether the latches or lock actuators have been replaced and whether the left front latch extended coverage was used.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Had a recall on driver door issue with secure of door . But on my back driver door has the same problem . Door could become un safe when driving . Dont know if it is secure. While driving. Shows open. Something went wrong with ABS system while drving didnt stop right away . Had to stop and wait before brake system became fuctionable .”

   NHTSA complaint #11306381, filed 2020-01, 131,200 miles

   “This is a follow up complaint as advised by mary at Ford motor company. Ford did issue customer satisfaction program 19n09 refund for the driver side latch, however I had to replace the passenger side latch as well so would like a refund on both latches. Door ajar lights stay on which causes automatic door locks to fail, dome lights to remain on while driving as well as when vehicle is parked and turned off. When driving this causes a safety hazard because anyone can enter the car at a stop sign or light and cause harm to vehicle occupants. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11307545, filed 2020-02, 55,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, dead battery and inoperative controls

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the electrical system going dead while parked, control panels showing no connected features, and door and window switches doing nothing so windows will not roll up or down. Several complaints tie a drained battery to door lock or module problems, and others describe loss of power or electronics shutting off while driving. Complaints mention repeated dealer visits without a lasting repair. Mostly reported between about 37,000 and 160,000 miles, often as an intermittent problem.

   Recall 11V128000Recall 10V6590005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that all windows, locks and interior controls work with the engine off and on, and ask whether the battery has been going flat when parked or whether any modules have been reprogrammed or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “65 MPH on highway, complete loss of power... Electronics seemed to sputter off, then back on for a few seconds, then off again, but the vehicle shut completely off mid highway driving with no ability to steer, accelerate or decelerate. Ended up at a complete stop on the highway with nothing working to power the vehicle back on. Heater seemed to continue to work, but nothing as far as the engine or dash, no electronics. Continued to try to start the vehicle over and over as oncoming vehicles swerved around me at 60 to 70 MPH. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11321741, filed 2020-04, 104,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Ford EDGE. The contact stated that the doors of the vehicle failed to automatically lock when the vehicle was driven as the vehicle was designed to operate. The contact stated that the doors would intermittently lock then release the locks, as well. The sensor that indicates whether the doors were locked consistently states that doors were ajar despite the actual positioning and locking of the doors. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11299710, filed 2020-01, 129,131 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling, power loss and rough running

   • 223 complaints (12%)
   • median 50,990 mi at 4.5 yrs old (204 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $749 (median of 22 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2025

   A few owners report the engine losing power or shutting off entirely while driving, sometimes with smoke from the hood, loss of steering assist and electrical functions cutting in and out. Others describe the engine running but the vehicle failing to respond when accelerating from a stop, or a transmission or transfer case problem causing loss of control. Complaints note dealers could not duplicate the failure or found no open recalls. Mostly reported between roughly 37,000 and 130,000 miles, often at highway speed or when pulling away from a stop.

   What to check: Ask for service records covering engine stalling, throttle body work or transmission and transfer case repairs, and take a test drive that includes highway speeds and repeated stops and starts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my vehicle on my way home from work on a country road. The vehicle randomly began to lose power and wouldn't gain much speed. I was trying to get it parked in at least a driveway or place to sit safely in case something happened. There were cars behind me , the car started smoking really bad from the hood. Before I had time to get somewhere safely, the car shut off and started going in reverse. I had to slam on my emergency break and was stuck there until I had help from a tow truck to tow it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11319648, filed 2020-03, 130,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle became uncontrollable. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was caused by the transfer case. The contact called an unknown local dealer and was informed that there were no open recalls on the vehicle. The contact was referred to the manufacturer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11496320, filed 2022-12, 37,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the brake system, including the booster, master cylinder and ABS unit, since brake-pedal complaints dominate this model year. Also check door latches, locks and electrical functions, and ask for records on any booster, latch or software work already done.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.