1999 BMW 540I vs 1999 Mercury Cougar
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1999 BMW 540I | 1999 Mercury Cougar |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 22 | 454 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 5 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 10 | 229 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 1 | 23 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 16–18 | 20–25 |
| Median reported incident mileage | — | 68,717 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | BMW 540I | Mercury Cougar |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 | 99 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 72 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 67 |
| Power Train | 3 | 50 |
| Visibility | 0 | 52 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 0 | 39 |
| Exterior Lighting | 0 | 34 |
| Structure | 0 | 34 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 0 | 48 |
| Hesitation / surging | 0 | 25 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 16 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 12 |
| Brake problems | 0 | 12 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 11 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 10 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 10 |
1999 BMW 540I
1999 Mercury Cougar
Compare all BMW 540I vs Mercury Cougar years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.