1999 Volkswagen Beetle Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 1999 Volkswagen Beetle addresses a 2-door hatchback with three engine choices and five trims: Base, GL, GLS, GLX and Lujo. The gasoline options are a turbocharged 1.8L inline-four with twin overhead camshafts and a naturally aspirated 2.0L single-cam inline-four of 121 cubic inches; the diesel is a turbocharged 1.9L single-cam inline-four of 116 cubic inches. Procedures, specifications and torque values follow the engines through the fuel, cooling, transmission, brake and electrical systems.

Engines covered

• 1.8L inline-four — DOHC, turbocharged, gasoline
• 1.9L inline-four (116 cu in) — SOHC, turbocharged, diesel
• 2.0L inline-four (121 cu in) — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 2-door hatchback

Trims covered

• Base
• GL
• GLS
• GLX
• Lujo

Known issues on the 1999 Beetle. Two recalls appear on the federal record for the 1999 Beetle, and both concern the brake light switch. On certain 1999 Beetle vehicles the switch could malfunction, so the brake lamps either stay dark or remain lit even with the car parked. The second campaign covered certain cars with cruise control whose switch may have been installed wrongly during earlier recall work, and a redesigned switch was fitted. Owners lodged 208 complaints, the electrical system drawing 46 and engine and engine cooling 38. Among them, 20 complaints reported a fire, 19 a crash and 16 an injury. Brake light wiring diagrams, electrical diagnostics and engine cooling specifications apply here.