2020 Ford Mustang — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Ford Mustang passed 89.5% of its 3,549 recorded MOT tests. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (8.3% fail rate), the 2020 Mustang comes out 2.2pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.2%) and visibility (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and rbt (sp) — wipers alone was recorded 117 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.5% in the 0-30k band and 16.1% in the 60-90k band, a 6.6-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.6% in 2021 to 10.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.2% | 184 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.6% | 129 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.0% | 108 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 65 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 22 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.5% | 17 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 117 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 84 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 76 |
| 4 | Washers | 42 |
| 5 | Parking brake performance | 42 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 36 |
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 | 15.4% | 548 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 195 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.2% | 114 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.0% | 72 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 60 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 17 |
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 | 2,896 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 575 | 15.0% |
| 60-90k | 56 | 16.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 87 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 52 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 1,129 | 9.6% |
| 2024 | 1,153 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 1,128 | 10.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Mustang
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.2% 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 (3.6% 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.
- Brakes (3.0% 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.
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 2020 Ford Mustangs pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 3,549 2020 Ford Mustang MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Mustang?
Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by visibility (3.6%).
Does the 2020 Mustang get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 16.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,549 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.