1999 Mercury Cougar vs 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
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.
| Metric | 1999 Mercury Cougar | 1999 Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 454 | 349 |
| Recall campaigns | 5 | 4 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 229 | 159 |
| Investigations | 1 | 5 |
| Crash reports | 23 | 33 |
| Fire reports | 3 | 9 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 20–25 | 19–37 |
| Median reported mileage | 68,717 mi | 73,137 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Cougar | Volkswagen Jetta |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 67 | 78 |
| Electrical System | 99 | 44 |
| Visibility | 52 | 81 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 72 | 29 |
| Power Train | 50 | 30 |
| Air Bags | 31 | 30 |
| Structure | 34 | 25 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 26 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 48 | 24 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 6 |
| Vibration / shaking | 16 | 6 |
| Check engine light | 12 | 9 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 11 | 6 |
| Won’t start | 10 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 10 | 0 |
1999 Mercury Cougar
1999 Volkswagen Jetta
Compare all Mercury Cougar vs Volkswagen Jetta 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.