Friday, August 7, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

1999 Mercury Cougar vs 1999 Plymouth Neon

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric1999 Mercury Cougar1999 Plymouth Neon
NHTSA complaints45462
Recall campaigns50
Service bulletins (TSBs)22939
Investigations11
Crash reports238
Fire reports32
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)20–2524–28
Median reported mileage68,717 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentMercury CougarPlymouth Neon
Electrical System998
Engine and Engine Cooling6730
Service Brakes, Hydraulic725
Visibility523
Power Train504
Fuel System, Gasoline393
Structure343
Air Bags316

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling480
Hesitation / surging250
Vibration / shaking160
Check engine light120
Brake problems120
Loss of power110
Won’t start100
Clunking / rattling100

Compare all Mercury Cougar vs Plymouth Neon 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.