Used car guide

2018 Ford Mustang: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2018 Ford Mustangs, from 2,115 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,115MOT tests in 2025
84%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%)
4,500typical miles a year
25×the usual rate for handbrake performance

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2018 Ford Mustangs than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Handbrake performance25× usual
    Ford Mustang
    2.5% All 2018 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 0.1% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.

Better than most

Brake pads: 5.1% here, against 11% of all 2018 cars.

By area

The share of 2018 Ford Mustang MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    23% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    17% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    5% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    3% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    2% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Ford Mustang?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20225,060Tyres 25%
20213,119Tyres 26%
20201,073Tyres 22%
20191,226Tyres 19%
20171,873Tyres 23%
20162,533Tyres 24%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2018 Ford Mustangs registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score