2016 Ford Mustang — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,697 MOT tests, the 2016 Ford Mustang recorded an 86.6% pass rate. That is 2.6 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 10.8%. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (4.9%) and tyres (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), tread depth and ball joint — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 521 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.4% versus 9.0%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 4.9% | 726 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.4% | 650 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.5% | 522 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 466 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 312 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 137 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 521 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 355 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 307 |
| 4 | Washers | 305 |
| 5 | Wipers | 298 |
| 6 | Parking brake performance | 280 |
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 | 20.0% | 2,939 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.3% | 1,372 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.9% | 864 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.8% | 413 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 320 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 224 |
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 | 7,378 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 5,913 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,215 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 159 | 16.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,058 | 11.3% |
| 2022 | 2,959 | 12.8% |
| 2023 | 2,951 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 2,870 | 14.3% |
| 2025 | 2,859 | 14.9% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Mustang
On a 2016 Mustang, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (4.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Visibility (3.5% 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
How many 2016 Ford Mustangs pass their MOT?
86.6% of the 14,697 2016 Ford Mustang MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Ford Mustang?
Brakes, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by tyres (4.4%).
Does the 2016 Mustang get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 16.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,697 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.