Case file · FORD-MUSTANG-2015-2023 · Field document

Ford Mustang 2015–2023 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes, not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   On any manual car: shift slowly through every gear cold AND warm. Feel for grinding into 2nd, a notchy/baulky 2nd–3rd shift, or lockout from 3rd. Some cold notchiness is 'normal' per Ford, but grinding and lockout are red flags.

2. Check 02

   On the GT (5.0): check the oil level and ask about consumption history. Ford's 2021-2023 books say hard or track driving can burn about a quart every 500 miles, and to check the level at every fill-up when the car is driven that way. The 3,000-mile figure in Ford's 2018-2023 books (3,100 in the 2017 book) is when a new engine's oil use settles, not a limit. Fresh top-off bottles in the trunk on a car sold as gently driven mean dig deeper.

3. Check 03

   Launch-test gently from a stop and watch/feel for wheel hop. Violent juddering of the rear under hard acceleration points to a car that's been hammered and possibly stressed driveline/IRS parts.

4. Check 04

   On 2015–2019 2.3 EcoBoost cars: look for any sign of coolant loss, white exhaust smoke on cold start, or misfire. Those are the coolant-intrusion tells. Pre-2020 blocks are the at-risk ones.

5. Check 05

   On the 10-speed automatic (2018+): drive it long enough to get harsh 1-2 and 2-3 shifts, shudder, or gear hunting. Ask whether the latest transmission reflash/TSB has been applied.

6. Check 06

   On a GT350: confirm the 16S40 oil-cooler-line recall was completed (VIN check), and ask honestly whether the car was tracked and how cooling was managed.

7. Check 07

   Inspect tires and brakes for track/abuse wear, and look underneath for curb/track scrapes, aftermarket clutch/driveline parts, and tune evidence.

8. Check 08

   Scan for stored codes and check that no powertrain/limp-mode events are logged.