Ford Mustang, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
12,888 Ford Mustangs are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 83.6% of initial MOT tests, 11.3 points above the 72.3% UK average.
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Ford Mustang at the MOT
83.6% of 12,307 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Mustang 147th of 575 models. Ford Mustangs aged 3 to 5 years passed 86.6% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 82.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Ford Mustang tests in 2025.
Where Mustangs fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Ford Mustang tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements (8.7%), condition has ply or cords exposed (7%) and parking brake performance inoperative on one side (6.1%).
The MOT page lists every common Mustang MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Mustang's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.32.1% of Mustang failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.18.2% of Mustang failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.17% of Mustang failure items
Ford Mustangs in the UK
12,888 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 166% since the end of 2016.
- Change since 2016
- +166%from 4,844 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 732against 3,469 in 2016
- Declared off the road
- 1,90113% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Ford Mustangs since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 1,296 |
| End of 2015 | 1,772 |
| End of 2016 | 4,844 |
| End of 2017 | 6,563 |
| End of 2018 | 8,717 |
| End of 2019 | 9,664 |
| End of 2020 | 10,563 |
| End of 2021 | 10,851 |
| End of 2022 | 11,466 |
| End of 2023 | 11,434 |
| End of 2024 | 11,477 |
| End of 2025 | 12,059 |
| End of June 2026 | 12,888 |
How old they are
Licensed Ford Mustangs by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 144 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 636 | 732 |
| 2024 | 166 | 237 |
| 2023 | 167 | 267 |
| 2022 | 587 | 770 |
| 2021 | 490 | 804 |
| 2020 | 921 | 1,211 |
| 2019 | 1,105 | 1,535 |
| 2018 | 1,958 | 2,573 |
| 2017 | 1,705 | 2,381 |
| 2016 | 2,153 | 3,469 |
| 2015 | 228 | 552 |
| 2014 | 4 | |
| 2013 | 14 | |
| 2012 | 10 | |
| 2011 | 5 | |
| 2010 | 13 | |
| 2009 | 15 | |
| 2008 | 60 | |
| 2007 | 49 | |
| 2006 | 41 |
228 Mustangs first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 41% of the 552 first registered that year.
Mustang engine sizes
5.0 litre engines made up 66% of Ford Mustang MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.3 litre at 16%. Petrol accounts for 100% of licensed Mustangs.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 12,269 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Ford Mustang recalls
18 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Ford Mustang. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Mustang is affected.
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May 2026 R/2026/213
Mvl: rear-view camera distorted and/or loss of image
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have an issue with the rear-view camera. Drivers may experience a distorted or loss of image.
- Remedy
- Check vehicle and replace camera as required.
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Apr 2026 R/2026/173
26C16 Mustang - Lane Keeping System Software Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- According to Ford's records certain Mustang vehicles may not have the remedy for Compliance Recall 21C11 installed correctly but were recorded as having received the repair successfully. Because the correct software update may not have been installed on these vehicles the underlying condition may still exist therefore these vehicles may still have the incorrect software loaded for the Lane Keeping System (LKS). On affected vehicles not having the latest Lane Keeping System (LKS) software may lead to non-compliance with the current regulations relating to Hands-On-Off (HOO) chime requirements that became effective from April 1 2021. Dealers will update the Image Processing Module A (IPMA) and the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) to the latest available software level free of charge.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the Image Processing Module A (IPMA) and the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) to the latest available software level free of charge.
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Apr 2026 R/2026/149
25SA7 - Mustang - Powertrain Control Module Software Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles equipped with a Ford Performance Whipple Supercharger Upgrade Kit the updated software may not be able to detect module hardware errors leading to unintended acceleration or unintended vehicle movement increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Update the Powertrain Control Module software.
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Feb 2026 R/2026/038
25C83 Mustang - Powertrain Control Module Software Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the software repair for previous recall 20C06 may not have been delivered properly and the underlying condition may still exist. The condition may cause the Gear Shift Indication to recommend gear changes at intervals that do not meet the specification.
- Remedy
- Update the Powertrain Control Module software and perform an additional verification process to ensure the configuration has been installed correctly.
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Dec 2025 R/2025/530
25S92 Mustang - Potential Seat Belt Anchor Pretensioner Issue
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may experience corrosion that can weaken or detach the seatbelt anchor pretensioner cables for both front seats. A corroded pretensioner cable may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash.
- Remedy
- The remedy has not yet been developed. However vehicle owners with concerns are advised to present their vehicle at an approved repairer for inspection.
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Dec 2025 R/2025/493
Mustang Brake Fluid Level Indicator Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The software repair for a previous recall may not have been properly delivered to the vehicle. The underlying noncompliance specified in the recall still exists and customers will not receive a warning if there is a reduction in brake fluid below the recommended level in the master cylinder brake fluid reservoir.
- Remedy
- Update the Body Controller Module (BCM) software and / or replace it if necessary.
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Oct 2025 R/2025/410
Mustang: Incorrect Homologation details on VIN label
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may not show the correct Homologation regulation on the Vehicle Identification (VIN) label.
- Remedy
- Replace the VIN label.
-
Oct 2025 R/2025/423
25C43 Mustang - Inspection For Water Intrusion Into The Body Control Module And Connectors
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A number of vehicles could potentially be affected by water ingress in the Body Control Module (BCM) leading to corrosion inside. Water ingress into the BCM may prevent exterior lighting components from functioning as intended.
- Remedy
- Inspect and repair the windscreen for leaks if necessary. Replace BCMs affected by water ingress.
Other Ford models
The most-tested Ford models in 2025, against the Mustang's 83.6% MOT pass rate.
Ford Mustang FAQs
How many Ford Mustangs are there in the UK?
12,888 Ford Mustangs were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 1,901 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Ford Mustang reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 83.6% first-time pass rate for the Ford Mustang across 12,307 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Ford Mustang had any recalls?
18 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Ford Mustang. The most recent was published in May 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Ford Mustang?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and tyres. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Ford Mustang's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a Mustang?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Ford history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Ford VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.