MOT fail rates
Ford Mustang MOT fail rate by age
How often the Ford Mustang fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 40,094 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 6 years, the most tested age
165 of 340 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 6 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the Ford Mustang fails 12.5% of MOTs (3,477 tests), about the same as the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 18 years it fails 19.1% (1,023 tests), 24.2 points below the 43.3% average.
- The gap is widest at 17 years: 25.1 points below all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 6 years: Handbrake too weak, at 3 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 12.5% | 3,477 | 12.1% | +0.5 pts | 12,284 miles |
| 4 years | 13.3% | 5,022 | 13.4% | 0.0 pts | 17,024 miles |
| 5 years | 15.3% | 6,404 | 15.3% | −0.1 pts | 21,829 miles |
| 6 years | 16.6% | 7,925 | 17.8% | −1.2 pts | 25,956 miles |
| 7 years | 16.9% | 7,015 | 20.6% | −3.8 pts | 30,021 miles |
| 8 years | 17.9% | 4,965 | 23.8% | −5.9 pts | 33,507 miles |
| 9 years | 18.0% | 3,112 | 27.1% | −9.1 pts | 36,888 miles |
| 17 years | 18.0% | 1,151 | 43.1% | −25.1 pts | 59,165 miles |
| 18 years | 19.1% | 1,023 | 43.3% | −24.2 pts | 61,128 miles |
Most common fail items at 6 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Handbrake too weak Major | 3 |
| Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side Major | 2.4 |
| Rbt (sp): efficiency less than 50% of the required value Dangerous | 1.6 |
| Suspension ball joint worn Major | 1.3 |
Out of 7,925 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 2.7 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 2.6 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 2.4 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 0.9 |
| Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements Major | 0.8 |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major | 0.7 |
Out of 7,925 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 6 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Fiesta | 21.0% | 381,553 | 17.8% |
| Ford Focus | 16.8% | 233,113 | 17.8% |
| Ford Kuga | 15.6% | 150,426 | 17.8% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
More on the Ford Mustang
Looking at one Ford Mustang?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources