2016 Ford Edge
Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.
Common problems reported on the 2016 Ford Edge
| Component group | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 244 | 35.4% |
| Steering | 97 | 14.1% |
| Service Brakes | 92 | 13.3% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 63 | 9.1% |
| Power Train | 63 | 9.1% |
| Unknown or Other | 59 | 8.6% |
| Electrical System | 33 | 4.8% |
| Structure | 28 | 4.1% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 27 | 3.9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 2.9% |
| Wheels | 18 | 2.6% |
| Air Bags | 15 | 2.2% |
690 complaints filed between June 2, 2016 and December 23, 2024.
At what mileage the Ford Edge failed
| Component group | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 71,000 | 105 |
| Steering | 21,500 | 83 |
| Service Brakes | 61,450 | 49 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 84,000 | 57 |
| Power Train | 59,500 | 37 |
| Electrical System | 36,500 | 22 |
| Structure | 25,000 | 23 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 29,800 | 23 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11,450 | 18 |
Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 55,000 miles, with the middle half falling between 21,500 and 80,341. Based on the 421 complaints (61%) that record a mileage.
A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.
How this mix compares with other model years
| Component group | Here | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 35.4% | 16.6% |
| Electrical System | 4.8% | 13.4% |
| Power Train | 9.1% | 10.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 8.6% | 10.2% |
| Service Brakes | 13.3% | 6.4% |
| Steering | 14.1% | 6.2% |
| Air Bags | 2.2% | 5.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1.7% | 4.5% |
This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.
Parts named by name
| Part | Complaints | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|
| Structure: Body | 25 | 22,043 |
| Visibility: Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | 9 | — |
| Power Train: Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive) | 5 | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings | 5 | — |
| Visibility: Glass, Side/Rear | 5 | — |
Most filers pick a category and stop there; only 10% of this model year’s complaints name a specific part. This table is that minority, so treat it as detail on top of the distribution above rather than as the whole picture. A dash means too few of those complaints record a mileage to publish a median.
How serious the complaints were
- 2.0% Crash reported 14 of 690
- 0.4% Fire reported 3 of 690
- 1.9% Injury reported 13 of 690
- 0.0% Death reported 0 of 690
Reported across all complaints on file: 17 injuries and 0 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.
Recall campaigns
7 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.
25V572000 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera September 3, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
Campaign covered 1,456,417 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
25V544000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings August 22, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The rear brake jounce hose may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake jounce hoses and adjust brake jounce hoses with no damage present, free of charge. Interim owner letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S87.
Campaign covered 499,129 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
22V413000 Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Gear Position Indication (Prndl) · Power Train: Shift Linkage/Cable/Rod June 10, 2022
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.
Consequence: 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.
Campaign covered 2,925,968 vehicles across model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
20V469000 Service Brakes · Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings August 10, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Consequence: A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Campaign covered 488,594 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
19V632000 Steering: Electric Power Assist System August 29, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Campaign covered 116,160 vehicles across model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
17V123000 Air Bags: Frontal: Driver Side: Inflator Module February 27, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles. In the event of a crash, the driver's frontal air bag may not fully inflate or the air bag cushion may detach from the air bag module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: During deployment, if the air bag does not fully inflate or the cushion detaches, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C02.
Campaign covered 27,531 vehicles across model year 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V733000 Electronic Stability Control (ESC) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip October 12, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Ford Edge vehicles manufactured February 9, 2015, to August 12, 2016. During dealer servicing, the affected vehicles may be have been updated with incorrect Antilock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) software. This software can cause the ESC system to lose engine torque control, and not provide any warning lamps to warn the driver if there was an ABS or ESC system malfunction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems" and number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Consequence: If the operator is not warned of an ABS or ESC malfunction and the ESC loses engine torque control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS module, and update the service software, free of charge. The recall begin November 22, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C14.
Campaign covered 53 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
NCAP crash-test ratings
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Ford Edge SUV FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 2016 Ford Edge SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Ratings are out of 5 stars.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first.
Engine and cooling system
Related complaint groups: Engine (244), Engine and Engine Cooling (63)
Come to a cold car. A warmed-up engine hides a hard start, smoke and knocking. If the car is already warm, that is a yellow flag: ask for 30–40 minutes to let it cool. A refusal to let it cool is a red flag.
With the car parked
- Oil: level, color, consistency. Level above maximum plus a smell of fuel on the dipstick means the oil is being diluted with fuel.
- A whitish film on the oil filler cap alone is usually condensation from short trips in cold weather, not cause for alarm. What matters is the dipstick: a coffee-with-milk emulsion on the dipstick requires serious further inspection. A further indication is coolant hoses that are hard and under excess pressure.
- Coolant: level, color, no oil film. Open the reservoir only on a fully cooled engine.
- Leaks: under the engine, along the sump seam, around the valve cover, along the hoses and the radiator.
On the road and after
- Cold start: how long the starter cranks, smoke in the first seconds, knocking that goes away as it warms up.
- Temperature over the whole drive. Idle with the air conditioning on: the fan should cut in and the needle should not climb.
- After the drive, switch off, wait a couple of minutes and look for fresh drips under the car.
Red flags
- A freshly washed engine bay on a high-mileage car
- Thick white smoke after warm-up
- Temperature climbing in traffic
Suspension, control arms, steering
Related complaint groups: Steering (97), Suspension (6)
With the car parked
- Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
- Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
- Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.
On the road
- Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
- Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.
Red flags
- Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
- A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
- One control arm noticeably newer than the rest
Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.
Brakes
Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (92)
With the car parked
- Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
- Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
- Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
- Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
- Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.
On the road
- First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
- Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
- Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
- The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
- A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
- The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.
After the drive
- Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.
Red flags
- The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
- An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
- Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads
Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.
Automatic transmission
Related complaint groups: Power Train (63)
Checking the fluid level during an inspection is usually not possible — many cars need a lift, some have no dipstick at all, and Honda’s procedure differs from the rest. So this assessment is built on behavior, not on fluid.
With the car parked
- Move the selector P → R → D and back with the brake held. Each engagement should be a soft nudge, without a thump and without delay. Repeat two or three times in each direction.
On the road
- Shifts without noticeable delay or thump, both under acceleration and when slowing down.
- Pay particular attention to the 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 transitions — they carry the most load.
- Hard acceleration at full throttle: the revs should not flare without the car gaining speed.
- On a CVT the revs should rise smoothly, without steps, droning or jerking.
Questions for the seller
- Has the fluid been changed, and is there proof. Regular changes are a substantial plus for the car; their absence at high mileage is reason for caution.
Red flags
- A stored transmission fault code (a scan tool is worth having)
- Slipping under load in any form
- Recently cleared codes with no explanation
- The seller offering to "just change the fluid" when it is black and burnt — that is cosmetic cover over wear that has already happened
Cost if it needs work: Expensive. The most expensive of the likely assemblies; a repair is often comparable to the value of the car.
Axles and CV joints
Related complaint groups: Power Train (63)
With the car parked
- Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.
On the road
- Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
- Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.
Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.
Electrical system
Related complaint groups: Electrical System (33), Exterior Lighting (7)
With the car parked
- With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
- Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
- Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
- Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
- Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.
On the road
- Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
- A second hot start after the drive.
Red flags
- A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
- Signs of water ingress
- Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
- Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause
Airbags and the VIN recall check
Related complaint groups: Air Bags (15), Seat Belts (5)
The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.
Required procedure
- Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
- Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
- A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
- An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.
Inspection
- The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
- Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
- Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.
The Ford Edge year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Median mileage | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 663 | 85,000 | 6 |
| 2011 | 1,750 | 58,000 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1,101 | 51,000 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2,296 | 53,000 | 2 |
| 2014 | 322 | 52,000 | 3 |
| 2015 | 600 | 41,291 | 7 |
| 2016 (this page) | 690 | 55,000 | 7 |
Read the mileage column down this table with care. A newer year has simply been driven less, so its median sits lower for that reason alone — the figure is censored from above by how long the cars have been on the road, not only by how they were built. The same applies to the complaint counts: an older year has had more years in which to collect them.
Where the mileage figure does compare cleanly is between different models of the same year, which have had the same time to accumulate miles.