1997 Ford Mustang — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

84.6%

Latest Pass Rate

712

Total Tests (All Years)

74,426 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Ford Mustang as it ages.

12 yrs70.6%

→ ↓0.4%

13 yrs70.2%

→ ↑2.1%

14 yrs72.3%

→ ↓8.7%

15 yrs63.6%

→ ↑16.4%

16 yrs80.0%

→ ↓16.1%

17 yrs63.9%

→ ↓11.3%

18 yrs52.6%

→ ↑7.4%

19 yrs60.0%

→ ↑6.7%

20 yrs66.7%

→ ↑10.2%

21 yrs76.9%

→ ↓11.7%

22 yrs65.2%

→ ↑11.1%

23 yrs76.3%

→ ↑3.2%

25 yrs79.5%

→ ↑1.9%

26 yrs81.4%

→ ↑3.2%

27 yrs84.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	70.6%	51
13 yrs	70.2%	47
14 yrs	72.3%	47
15 yrs	63.6%	44
16 yrs	80.0%	40
17 yrs	63.9%	36
18 yrs	52.6%	38
19 yrs	60.0%	35
20 yrs	66.7%	60
21 yrs	76.9%	39
22 yrs	65.2%	46
23 yrs	76.3%	38
25 yrs	79.5%	44
26 yrs	81.4%	43
27 yrs	84.6%	104

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Ford Mustang pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	84.6%	104
2023 (26 yrs)	81.4%	43
2022 (25 yrs)	79.5%	44
2020 (23 yrs)	76.3%	38
2019 (22 yrs)	65.2%	46
2018 (21 yrs)	76.9%	39
2017 (20 yrs)	66.7%	60
2016 (19 yrs)	60%	35
2015 (18 yrs)	52.6%	38
2014 (17 yrs)	63.9%	36
2013 (16 yrs)	80%	40
2012 (15 yrs)	63.6%	44
2011 (14 yrs)	72.3%	47
2010 (13 yrs)	70.2%	47
2009 (12 yrs)	70.6%	51

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

70.6%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 51Avg Mileage 80,480Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.6%

2010

70.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 47Avg Mileage 85,773Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.4%

2011

72.3%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 47Avg Mileage 89,600Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%

2012High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 44Avg Mileage 93,660Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.5%

2013

80.0%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 40Avg Mileage 96,564Top Failure Brakes — 27.5%

2014High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 36Avg Mileage 97,373Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.7%

2015High Fail Rate

52.6%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 38Avg Mileage 98,982Top Failure Brakes — 102.6%

2016High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 35Avg Mileage 99,246Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 77.1%

2017

66.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 60Avg Mileage 93,878Top Failure Brakes — 71.7%

2018

76.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 39Avg Mileage 92,896Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.5%

2019

65.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 46Avg Mileage 99,504Top Failure Brakes — 71.7%

2020

76.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 38Avg Mileage 100,927Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.5%

2022

79.5%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 44Avg Mileage 95,872Top Failure Brakes — 47.7%

2023

81.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 43Avg Mileage 92,752Top Failure Brakes — 37.2%

2024

84.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 104Avg Mileage 74,426Top Failure Suspension — 34.6%

MOT results for 1997 Ford Mustang by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	70.6%	51	80,480	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.6%
2010	13	70.2%	47	85,773	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.4%
2011	14	72.3%	47	89,600	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%
2012	15	63.6%	44	93,660	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.5%
2013	16	80.0%	40	96,564	Brakes — 27.5%
2014	17	63.9%	36	97,373	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.7%
2015	18	52.6%	38	98,982	Brakes — 102.6%
2016	19	60.0%	35	99,246	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 77.1%
2017	20	66.7%	60	93,878	Brakes — 71.7%
2018	21	76.9%	39	92,896	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.5%
2019	22	65.2%	46	99,504	Brakes — 71.7%
2020	23	76.3%	38	100,927	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.5%
2022	25	79.5%	44	95,872	Brakes — 47.7%
2023	26	81.4%	43	92,752	Brakes — 37.2%
2024	27	84.6%	104	74,426	Suspension — 34.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Ford Mustang, with age trends.

Brakes

41.0%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

40.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

22.3%

↑ Increases with age

Visibility

17.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	5.9% (12 yrs)	34.6% (27 yrs)	+28.7%	🔴 ↑
Steering	7.8% (12 yrs)	5.8% (27 yrs)	-2.0%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	19.6% (12 yrs)	19.2% (27 yrs)	-0.4%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Ford Mustang page →

About This Data

This page shows how Ford Mustang cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 712 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.