Picture it: You finally have some break-in miles on your new 2024 Ford Mustang GT. You could take it to the local dealership for an oil change, but you're a hands-on person who prefers tackling the simple stuff. You pull out the ramps, get your bucket ready, and then slide under the car to find a big black panel covering the engine. No sweat, just look for the access door to reach the filter. But it's not there.
For the 2024 Ford Mustang, there is no access door to reach the oil drain plug. That fact becomes all too clear in a recent video from Late Model Restoration, a company that specializes in all things Mustang from the Fox era forward. The clip is a simple how-to on changing the oil, a maintenance item many owners of performance vehicles like handle themselves. At the start of this clip, things look pretty similar to anyone who's wrenched on a sixth-gen S550, including the big cover beneath the engine.
However, we soon learn that, for reasons unknown, the new Mustang GT doesn't have an access door to reach the oil filter. The previous model had one, but now, an oil change requires removing the entire cover. It's held in place by no less than 20 fasteners composed of 15 screws and five plastic clips. The removal process isn't complicated, but if you don't have a power tool handy, it can be rather time-consuming. And if you don't have a lift, we suspect it's a rather uncomfortable procedure to boot.
The video takes us through the entire oil change process, which is normal once the cover is out of the way. However, putting it back in place isn't quite as easy as the removal. The front of the cover doesn't want to notch into position and the video host is clearly agitated with the process, which he calls "annoyingly tricky."
"2025 model year won’t be the same, mark my words,” he says in the video. "2025 model year will have a trap door for the oil. I’m calling it now. Ford, if you’re watching this video, you need to do it."
We'd wager good money that Ford is watching this video, and other videos on YouTube showing similar frustrations from 2024 Mustang GT owners. Ford, the ball's in your court.
