REDLINE ALLEYFord Mustang S550 buying guide
2015 to 2023. An S550 suits a buyer who wants a modern V8 coupe with right hand drive from the factory and checks the recalls.
Big jobs
- Cold piston slap (facelift 5.0). A rattle at 1500 to 3000 rpm when cold is attributed to piston slap and could score the cylinders.
- Oil cooler rupture (early cars). The oil cooler on early 2015 and 2016 cars can rupture, leaking oil outside or into the coolant.
- Manual shift forks. The MT82 shift forks can break, mainly on hard driven 2018 cars.
- 10 speed auto valve body (facelift). Late, unresponsive or missing shifts on the 10 speed auto are mostly traced to faulty valve bodies.
Workshop jobs
- 6 speed auto clunk (pre 2018). A clunk going from neutral into drive or reverse points to a worn front transmission flange.
- Rear wheel bearings and driveline hum. Rear wheel bearings can fail early, and a hum at about 65 to 95 km/h can come from the driveshaft, bearings or tyres.
- Corrosion and panel gaps. Rust bubbles appear on wheel arches and bonnet edges because factory protection is weak, and pre facelift panel gaps are uneven.
Small jobs
- Battery harness recall. A recall covered battery wiring that ran too close to the exhaust manifold and could cause a fire.
Questions for the seller
- Is it the 5.0 V8 or the 2.3 EcoBoost, and manual or auto?
- Have all recalls been completed?
- Is it pre or post facelift?
- Does the VIN on the papers match the windscreen and the B pillar sticker?
- Has it been modified or tuned?
Sources
Researched 2026-11-03. General guidance from owner and specialist sources. Check the specific car with an independent inspection.