The picture
Mustang: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 13,181 MOT tests, the Mustang returns 84.5% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is wipers that don't clear the screen. A weak handbrake and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 35,382, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
281 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 02
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
268 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
263 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 04
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
235 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 05
Parking brake inoperative on one side
174 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
149 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade defective
145 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
128 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 09
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
117 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
111 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£140–£235
If every one of this Mustang's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Mustang?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Mustang and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.