i have a 1999 new beetle. half the dashlights have not worked for several years, now the radio quit. no power, no lights...nothing. i am assuming it is a bad connection like the other dash lights. any thoughts on how to fix. want to avoid the big bucks of a dealership. thank you for your help.

 

Do the obvious first and check all the fuses. One box is located on the left end of the instrument panel. The other is located on top of the battery and contains all the high amp fuses. A note to remember on the radio is to never remove or disconnect the battery without a backup power source on the system. The anti theft protection thinks the radio is being stolen when power is removed and it has to be recoded to get it to work.