11,623 tests in 2025
Ford Mustang reliability and MOT pass rate
85.9% passed first time. The 14.1% fail rate is 8.5 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 32,607 miles.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. The electric version has its own page: Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Pass rate
85.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 14.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
32,607 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,030 | 9.5% |
| 6-9 years | 7,048 | 15.3% |
| 10-13 years | 593 | 11.5% |
| 14+ years | 1,934 | 15.3% |
What the Mustang fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Brakes265 dangerous43.7%
- Tyres513 dangerous28%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment7 dangerous18.4%
- Visibility17.2%
- Suspension10 dangerous16.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous9.5%
- Identification of the vehicle4%
- Steering3 dangerous2.9%
Is the Mustang getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.2 points to 14.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.7 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 11,047 | 6 | 13.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 11,717 | 6 | 14.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 9,983 | 7 | 15.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 11,084 | 8 | 14.4% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Mustang at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Mustang in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements356 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed204 tests
- 3Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side201 tests
- 4Rbt (sp): efficiency less than 50% of the required value159 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively143 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm111 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn106 tests
- 8Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid102 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Mustang collects 2.32 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,286 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened611 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure609 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick404 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine174 tests
- 6Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords174 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn167 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm155 tests
Questions
What is the Ford Mustang MOT pass rate?
85.9% of the 11,623 Ford Mustang first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 14.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Ford Mustang usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements", recorded on 356 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has ply or cords exposed" and "Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side". By section, brakes appears in 43.7% of failures, tyres appears in 28% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 18.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 9.5%; at 14+ years it was 15.3%. The median Ford Mustang tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 32,607 miles.
Is the Ford Mustang getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.2 points to 14.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.7 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Mustang trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 20 safety recalls naming the Ford Mustang: Ford Mustang recalls.
Other Ford models
- Fiesta 27.3%
- Focus 25.4%
- Transit Courier 21.2%
- Tourneo Connect 18.4%
- Tourneo 23.4%
- Tourneo Custom 15.5%
- Escort 17.6%
- Edge 13.1%
- Mustang Mach-E 8%
- Allied 18.2%
Checking a particular Mustang?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.