Is the Ford Mustang reliable?
47% of the 68 we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, with an average of 55/100 — it scores noticeably below average.
68
Cars inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections55/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/10047%
In good shape (60+)all cars we check: 56%Across 68 used Ford Mustangs we inspected, this model scores noticeably below average — average condition 55/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.
What we found
Most common faults
Oil leaks · Engine
56%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
37%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
37%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
18%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
18%
Share of inspected Ford Mustangs where each item was flagged.
How they score
Excellent 21%
Good 26%
Mediocre 25%
Poor 28%
Hidden history
What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on this model.
81%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 74%
15%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
18%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 24%
How long does a Mustang stay good?
Good cars by mileage
Good cars by age
Share of Ford Mustangs in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.
More on Ford
Transit
70 cars · 67% good
F-150
137 cars · 58% good
Escape
40 cars · 55% good
Fusion
38 cars · 45% good
Explorer
32 cars · 40% good
F-250
30 cars · 40% good
Other Ford models we've inspected — or see the full Ford profile.
Straight from recent Ford Mustang reports
2013 Ford Mustang · 21k mi — flagged: oil leaks, fault codes recently cleared, tires condition & wear. Inspected Nov 6.
2016 Ford Mustang · 52k mi — flagged: fault codes recently cleared. Inspected Nov 2.
The bottom line
Treat a shiny Mustang as unfinished business. Repaints are the norm, and structural repairs hit 15 percent — several times the fleet rate — so get the structure checked before you haggle over paint. The engine is why so many of these disappoint: oil leaks show up on 56 percent of them, with fuel-trim and cooling faults close behind, and tires are often already worn. Questionable structure, an active leak, or cooked rubber is a walk-away or a project price. The only one worth stretching for is straight, leak-repaired, and still on decent tires.
FAQ
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What are the most common problems on a used Ford Mustang?
The items we flag most often are oil leaks (56%), fuel trim out of range (37%), tires condition & wear (37%). Have these checked before buying.
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Should I worry about cleared fault codes?
On 18% of these cars the ECU codes had been erased shortly before sale, which can hide active faults. Ask for a diagnostic scan and start the engine from cold.
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Based on 68 inspections · updated Nov 12, 2026
