1999 Mercury Cougar vs 1999 Saturn SL
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 Saturn SL |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 454 | 178 |
| Recall campaigns | 5 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 229 | 20 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 23 | 26 |
| Fire reports | 3 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 20–25 | 26–29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 68,717 mi | 64,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Mercury Cougar | Saturn SL |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 99 | 20 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 67 | 45 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 72 | 28 |
| Power Train | 50 | 22 |
| Visibility | 52 | 5 |
| Air Bags | 31 | 20 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 39 | 4 |
| Tires | 27 | 12 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 48 | 16 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 16 | 9 |
| Check engine light | 12 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 11 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 10 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 10 | 0 |
1999 Mercury Cougar
1999 Saturn SL
Compare all Mercury Cougar vs Saturn SL 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.