Ford Mustang common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Ford Mustang, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 18,860 MOTs done during 2025), and what to check before you buy one.
Pick the year
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200419781972
What usually goes wrong with a Ford Mustang?
We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Ford Mustang in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.
Common Ford Mustang MOT failures to check
Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.
Handbrake performance
up to 25× usualStands out on cars registered in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Rough price £80–£300 our estimateAt the viewing: Pull the handbrake on a slope. It should hold the car within a few clicks.
Wheel bearings
up to 6× usualStands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.
Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.
Ford Mustang MOT pass rate by year
Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2016 Ford Mustang did best (81% passed first time, 6 points above all 2016 cars) and the 2022 did worst (90%, 1 point above all 2022 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
| Year | Pass first time | All cars that year | MOT tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 85% | 92% -7 | 115 (small sample) |
| 2022 | 90% | 89% +1 | 5,060 |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% +3 | 3,119 |
| 2020 | 87% | 86% +1 | 1,073 |
| 2019 | 85% | 84% +1 | 1,226 |
| 2018 | 84% | 81% +3 | 2,115 |
| 2017 | 82% | 78% +4 | 1,873 |
| 2016 | 81% | 75% +6 | 2,533 |
| 2015 | 85% | 72% +13 | 335 (small sample) |
| 2014 | 91% | 69% +22 | 105 (small sample) |
| 2013 | 86% | 66% +20 | 110 (small sample) |
| 2010 | 85% | 59% +26 | 104 (small sample) |
| 2008 | 82% | 57% +25 | 212 (small sample) |
| 2007 | 80% | 57% +23 | 297 (small sample) |
| 2006 | 83% | 57% +26 | 259 (small sample) |
| 2005 | 81% | 58% +23 | 324 (small sample) |
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Ford Mustang
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the handbrake performance? (Flagged at MOT 25× as often on the Ford Mustang as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 6× as often on the Ford Mustang as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Ford Mustang?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score