Fault File
All models / All cars / Coupés, convertibles & GT / Ford Mustang / Mach-E

Ford Mustang / Mach-E

All generations and engines together · 14,317 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 36k

First-time failure at age 7
16.8%
Across 1,855 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
90 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
36k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

Generation

Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.

How this model wears

Ford Mustang / Mach-EClass average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 7,276 tests in this band.

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
Fail
3.6%class 0.3%
Parking brake inoperative on one side
Fail
2.6%class 0.2%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
2.1%class 1.6%
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
Fail
1.8%class 0.2%
A wheel bearing with excessive play
Advisory
1.4%class 0.5%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
1.1%class 0.7%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
1.0%class 2.0%
Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment
Fail
0.8%class 0.1%
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
0.7%class 0.6%
A wheel bearing with excessive play
Fail
0.7%class 0.1%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
24.9%class 22.9%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
12.3%class 13.4%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
9.6%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
5.4%class 8.7%
A tyre cords visible or damaged
Fail
2.7%class 1.2%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
2.2%class 1.7%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
2.0%class 2.2%
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Fail
1.5%class 0.8%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

RWD Mach-E rear differential can fracture, killing drive

Confirmed pattern

A rear driveshaft/differential pinion shaft on rear-wheel-drive Mach-Es can fatigue and fracture, which can cause a sudden loss of drive or unexpected movement. Ford has recalled roughly 42,000-43,000 cars (2021-2023 model years, RWD only) over this, with the powertrain control module reflashed to limit torque until the part is replaced. Watch for any clunk from the back axle on full-throttle pulls or reversing.

2021-2023 RWD Mach-E · recall live 2026 · sources: Electrek, Autoblog, Autoevolution, InsideEVs, NBC Montana

Early Mach-Es can go flat and refuse to start after a charge

Confirmed pattern

Some early Mustang Mach-E owners found the car's conventional 12V battery drained flat after the main traction battery had finished charging, leaving the car unable to wake up or start next time. Ford addressed it with a software fix rather than a hardware recall. Worth asking a seller of an early (2020/2021) car whether they've had any "won't start" incidents and whether any update was applied.

Early (2020-2021) cars · fix was a software update · sources: Reuters (via Yahoo Finance)

Mach-E loss-of-drive-power software fault

Mach-E (AWD, 2021) only

Separately from the differential issue, Ford recalled around 2021-model Mach-E AWD cars for a functional-safety software bug that could fail to catch its own errors and cause unintended acceleration, deceleration or a total loss of drive power. It was fixed with an over-the-air or dealer software update, not a parts replacement, so check the service history shows the update was done.

2021 AWD Mach-E · software recall, no cost to owner · sources: Wikipedia (citing NHTSA recall reporting)

Instrument cluster and electrical gremlins

Emerging

Owner reports collated by Honest John describe an instrument cluster going completely blank, a rear camera failing, and in one case an electrical fire on a low-mileage V8 GT. These read as isolated rather than a pattern Ford has acknowledged, but they're worth flagging: test every screen, camera and warning light on a viewing rather than assuming it's fine because the engine runs sweetly.

Reported from very low mileage upward · single-source reports · sources: Honest John reader reports

Crash-repair parts can take months to arrive

Emerging

Because most Mustang and Mach-E body panels and trim are shipped from North America rather than stocked in the UK, bodywork repairs after even a minor shunt have been reported taking ten weeks or more, sometimes longer for less common parts. This isn't a mechanical fault but it hits buyers in insurance write-off decisions and courtesy-car costs, so it's worth checking a car's panel gaps and paint match for any past repair.

Reported UK-wide · sources: Honest John reader reports

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

On a Mach-E, ask when it last had a dealer software update and check the service history for it. No recent update could mean the loss-of-drive-power or 12V-flat fixes were never applied.
On an RWD Mach-E built 2021-2023, ask specifically about the differential/driveshaft recall and whether it's been actioned. An unactioned recall on this fault is a genuine safety issue, not just an inconvenience.
Try every screen, warning light, camera and the instrument cluster with the ignition on. A blank cluster or dead camera points to the electrical gremlins some owners have reported.
Check panel gaps, paint match and the bonnet/wing edges for signs of past accident repair. Given how long UK body parts take to arrive, a rushed or partial repair is more likely than on a mainstream car.
On a petrol V8 GT, listen for any tapping or ticking from the engine at idle once warm. Unusual engine noise is worth an inspection before buying, even without a documented pattern.
Ask for the full recall history (VIN check) rather than relying on the seller's memory. Several Mach-E recalls are software-only and leave no obvious trace unless you check the VIN.

Others in its class

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