Ford Mustang Mach-E MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ford Mustang Mach-E appears in 11,311 MOT tests spanning model years 2020–2024, and 92.8% of them passed. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail at 7.9%, so the Mustang Mach-E sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.3%) and lighting & signalling (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 364 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Mustang Mach-E fails 5.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.2 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — electric fails 7.2% of the time against 7.6% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.1% of tests failed in 2023 against 7.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Mustang Mach-E model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 98 | 95.9% | 4.1% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 5,837 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 5,247 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 127 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.3% | 594 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 261 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 119 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.5% | 57 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.4% | 41 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 35 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.2% | 26 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 364 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 350 |
| 3 | Washers | 79 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 69 |
| 5 | Wipers | 55 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 29 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 19 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 17 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.6% | 2,551 |
| 2 | Other defects | 5.1% | 572 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 488 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 289 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 126 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 38 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 5,565 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 4,859 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 815 | 10.1% |
| 90-120k | 69 | 5.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 10,665 | 7.2% |
| Petrol | 646 | 7.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 96 | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 3,173 | 6.7% |
| 2025 | 8,039 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Tyres (5.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Mustang Mach-E?
92.8% of the 11,311 Ford Mustang Mach-E MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.2% fail rate, across model years 2020–2024.
What does the Ford Mustang Mach-E most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.3% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.3%).
How much does mileage affect Mustang Mach-E MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 5.8% for 90-120k, a 0.2-point difference.
Is the electric or petrol Mustang Mach-E more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the electric fails 7.2% of the time against 7.6% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,311 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.