TheSamba.com :: View topic - Official Mexican / Brazilian Beetles

Wed Aug 20, 2025 5:09 pm

Hi everyone,
I have a Mexican VW Beetle (1996, 1600i fuel injection), and I’m trying to identify all the relays it uses. I know there is the fuel pump relay, but I would like to know the complete list of relays used in the Mexican Beetle (injection models, 1993–2004).

Could anyone please share the relay locations, part numbers, or a wiring diagram reference?

Thanks in advance!

Thu Aug 21, 2025 3:57 am

sebastiansord wrote: Hi everyone,
I have a Mexican VW Beetle (1996, 1600i fuel injection), and I’m trying to identify all the relays it uses. I know there is the fuel pump relay, but I would like to know the complete list of relays used in the Mexican Beetle (injection models, 1993–2004).

Could anyone please share the relay locations, part numbers, or a wiring diagram reference?

Thanks in advance!

There are wiring diagrams on www.1600i.de.

Thu Aug 21, 2025 8:34 pm

Root_Werks wrote: AL007 wrote: anyone know where the detector for the little black tube that has to be with the key is located? Its kind of getting annoying that sometimes it doesn't get detected when I go start it up and nothing happens. Have to go unplug the battery to reset the system sometimes, sometimes its a matter of running the tube along the inside of the hood by the speedo wires, sometimes its locking and unlocking the car with the key...its an adventure everyday I try to use the bug. :roll: I'm thinking of just taping the little pill to the detector wire and just call it a day.

What year is your Bug? Mine is a 2003 and it was easy to remove the entire system. 3 wires, all black so label them. Under rear seat, drivers side is the module.

2004 bug, I just see the "computer" and the battery under the back seat. Maybe it's different?
I'd seen something about it many many pages back. I read through the entire 200 pages of this post but don't recall where I'd read about it. Something about a little antenna like wire that detects the pill.

a picture would help if you got one, I can look around to see if someone moved it. I need to check all the panels.

Fri Aug 22, 2025 8:31 am

AL007 wrote: Root_Werks wrote: AL007 wrote: anyone know where the detector for the little black tube that has to be with the key is located? Its kind of getting annoying that sometimes it doesn't get detected when I go start it up and nothing happens. Have to go unplug the battery to reset the system sometimes, sometimes its a matter of running the tube along the inside of the hood by the speedo wires, sometimes its locking and unlocking the car with the key...its an adventure everyday I try to use the bug. :roll: I'm thinking of just taping the little pill to the detector wire and just call it a day.

What year is your Bug? Mine is a 2003 and it was easy to remove the entire system. 3 wires, all black so label them. Under rear seat, drivers side is the module.

2004 bug, I just see the "computer" and the battery under the back seat. Maybe it's different?
I'd seen something about it many many pages back. I read through the entire 200 pages of this post but don't recall where I'd read about it. Something about a little antenna like wire that detects the pill.

a picture would help if you got one, I can look around to see if someone moved it. I need to check all the panels.

I did a short thread on about 5 years back:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=736710&highlight=

-Dan

Mon Aug 25, 2025 6:23 pm

Thank you! very much appreciated! Seems pretty simple.

On another note...checked the battery and it was at 50% charge LOL! Found it had been purchased back in Feb 2020 ...I'm guessing I found the issue with the starting. Borrowed a friend's charger and once it got to 80% it started immediately! Have to go to the store and pick up a new one and hopefully not need to cut wires.

Tue Aug 26, 2025 5:57 pm

AL007 wrote: Thank you! very much appreciated! Seems pretty simple.

On another note...checked the battery and it was at 50% charge LOL! Found it had been purchased back in Feb 2020 ...I'm guessing I found the issue with the starting. Borrowed a friend's charger and once it got to 80% it started immediately! Have to go to the store and pick up a new one and hopefully not need to cut wires.
I went to Advance Auto parts and the replacement battery is a 42 but if you measure the battery you can upgrade to a gold with better cranking amps than the silver battery... Good luck

Thu Aug 28, 2025 4:24 am

Sotobaggins wrote: AL007 wrote: Thank you! very much appreciated! Seems pretty simple.

On another note...checked the battery and it was at 50% charge LOL! Found it had been purchased back in Feb 2020 ...I'm guessing I found the issue with the starting. Borrowed a friend's charger and once it got to 80% it started immediately! Have to go to the store and pick up a new one and hopefully not need to cut wires.
I went to Advance Auto parts and the replacement battery is a 42 but if you measure the battery you can upgrade to a gold with better cranking amps than the silver battery... Good luck

That would be really nice! I did that for my miata and wow! what a difference! Even from new, the original battery just never seemed to have enough UMMFFF to turn the motor over, but the new Gold one...instant zoom zoom! :lol:

They have those new AGM super light batteries too but I figured those are too much for a daily driver and more for race car purposes.

Fri Aug 29, 2025 8:28 am

That would be really nice! I did that for my miata and wow! what a difference! Even from new, the original battery just never seemed to have enough UMMFFF to turn the motor over, but the new Gold one...instant zoom zoom! :lol:

They have those new AGM super light batteries too but I figured those are too much for a daily driver and more for race car purposes.[/quote]

I work for the part store and if you get membership from the app you can save money on the battery as most of them are over 200$ and with that you get 20% off ...now if you know someone who has a commercial account it will be less... AGM batteries are good for daily driving Optimas if you have a boombox car and race Gold or Platinum are good (just put in your phone midway point to swap out for a new one hehehehe)good luck still waiting for mine to come home after major heart surgery as I destroyed #3 cylinder and getting a newish heart put in...will not get rid off as it was the last car Mum and me bought together...Sam

Sat Aug 30, 2025 11:09 am

New alternator installed, leaks fixed and new wheel bearings.
Now, lights brights are brightness and taillights has better visiblity!
I think that for years the old alternator did not deliver enough power

But today in the ITV, the annual inspection for safety and exhaust emissions, (similar to british MOT), the exhaust test failed.

Lambda and CO at idle speed OK but CO at half throttle has the double of the legal : 0.66% :?

A new catalytic exhaust was installed in 2021, but it's not OEM, it's an mexican AM branded. At page 138 of this post I talk about it: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...start=2740

Mon Sep 01, 2025 5:09 am

Went to 7 autoparts stores yesterday, including walmart, to get a new battery. My bug came with a size 58 reverse post...geeezus! Never thought it'd be that complicated to find one and then find out its $220. :x Apparently, prices on those batteries jumped drastically a few months ago. My friends who told me they cost like $89 when they bought theirs last year are going to be in for a surprise when they get another new battery.

Mon Sep 01, 2025 10:01 am

AL007 wrote: Went to 7 autoparts stores yesterday, including walmart, to get a new battery. My bug came with a size 58 reverse post...geeezus! Never thought it'd be that complicated to find one and then find out its $220. :x Apparently, prices on those batteries jumped drastically a few months ago. My friends who told me they cost like $89 when they bought theirs last year are going to be in for a surprise when they get another new battery.
Go to Advance Autopart ask for a 76 battery measure it and go for a Gold one and if you have the app you can order it with 20% off simples(its a 42 size but you can upgrade to a bigger cranking amp one) ...Please Sam
PS prices went up ... saw the batts go from less than $100 and in 6months over 200+

Mon Sep 01, 2025 10:53 am

After a long while of inactivity, I've been making busy in getting my 1994 Firebeetle into the form of a great daily driver. I have absolutely fallen in love with car, from how it drives to it's look and feels. I've done a multitude of things such as replacing front bearings, the fuel pump, all fuel lines for now ethanol tolerance as they were splitting and this car has done nothing but leave me with a smile.

A car show local to me caught my eyes a few days ago, the 10th Annual VW Rollout. My friend convinced me and I headed down and I entered the show, the turn out was huge, over 80 cars and that's being generous, I unfortunately didn't do a count; but I did take notice of something. Not only was the event sponsored by a local VW Dealership, but a dealer or group from Nuevo Leon had come up and brought themselves as well as others for a estimation of 20 or so type 1s and type 2s.

I didn't get as many photos as I wanted as my phone was quickly dying on me and I rather still have it alive while I'm driving home. A super stock 1987 still with it's vacuum chamber and all really caught by eye but not my camera. Lastly, along side the many cars were vendors with parts from Mexico, I grabbed new bumpers to replace my rusty ones, a "Volkswagen de Mexico Special Edition" in the style of the 'Ultima Edicion' badge, as well as a new shift knob and a black bamboo shelf.

And of course photos of my car, a 2003 that caught my eye and of course, a Jeans Beetle in showroom condition.

Mon Sep 01, 2025 12:48 pm

I didn't get to go. :( I caught a flu or something and didn't want to get fellow Vdubbers sick. A bunch of the Valley guys went up and sent me tons of pictures though. Looked super cool! Hopefully, I can make it up to the VW Harvest in the Austin area later this year. That jeans beetle is neat. My neighbor wants one for his own but hasn't found a decent one yet.

It's a little late now I guess for the battery size. Already installed it and it fits perfect. The feet fit into the notches with the clamp and it doesn't touch the cross bar. Not sure why mine has a 58 size though if it's supposed to have a 42 size. I'll look into it next time I have to get another battery. They all cost the same anyway. Does the bigger size 58 have more capacity than a 42? Or is that just like a physical size of the box thing? nevermind, looked it up...they differ by about 1/4 inch but the 58 has more crankamps..and they don't even have the 42 in stock anyway. LOL

I went to autozone first and they sent me to Oreilly's. Then I went to Advance Auto, then Walmart and just started going further out of town until I found an Oreilly's hidden away behind some buildings and they happened to have my battery.

Thu Sep 04, 2025 7:42 pm

Approaching 1,000,000 views on this thread, 999,930 when I checked just a few minutes ago.

As it happened, I was visiting the area over the Labour Day weekend, where I took the first picture on this thread in 2013. To mark the occasion I stopped to take a picture in roughly the same spot. For reference you can see the Long Point sign just in front of my car in both pictures and the white building to left, in the distance. Long Point is about 600 kms from where I live.

That spot is the beginning of a parkway heading onto Long Point, Ontario (Lake Erie, about halfway). the point is basically a large reserve, but there are cottages and public beaches for part it. Quite a bit of change, new road, and most of the non-native vegetation has cleared as part of a major eco-rehabilitation project.

The GPS co-ordinates are (approximately) 42.6072934,-80.458582.

Once again here is the first picture, June 22, 2013:

And how it now appears (picture taken on Sept 3, 2025):

Fri Sep 05, 2025 7:03 am

Where is the snakes? :lol:

Fri Sep 05, 2025 7:59 am

Pegasín wrote: Where is the snakes? :lol:

I meant to mention that, I originally took the picture because of the large "Brake For Snakes" sign, later I noticed the "Turtles Crossing" sign in the picture.

I think they have put barriers along the sides of sections of the road to prevent the small wildlife from crossing the road. There are pipes and some bridges along the way for them to pass. The parkway is about 5 km long (3 miles).

Sun Sep 07, 2025 2:54 am

Very cool, Paul! 8)

Mon Sep 08, 2025 1:52 am

hopkin wrote: Pegasín wrote: Where is the snakes? :lol:

I meant to mention that, I originally took the picture because of the large "Brake For Snakes" sign, later I noticed the "Turtles Crossing" sign in the picture.

I think they have put barriers along the sides of sections of the road to prevent the small wildlife from crossing the road. There are pipes and some bridges along the way for them to pass. The parkway is about 5 km long (3 miles).

:thumbsup:

It's geat to preserve wildlife (and prevent accidents, too)

Tue Sep 09, 2025 10:54 am

Any source for date the birth of a Mexican Beetle?
I ordered the birth certificate from Volkswagen Classic Parts and the awnser was that Mexican production data is not available and the factory archive in Wolfsburg don´t have any information about my car!

My car is from 1995 but the first license registration in Spain is from 1998, so I need an official document for registration it as "Antique Vehicle" with as less 30 years old.

Antique Vehicle Registration, in Spain "Vehículo Histórico", has some advantages as free circulation on low emissions zones (in some cities) or periodical technical inspectation less strict...

Inspector said me that the VIN doesn´t matter... for him! :shock:

Tue Sep 09, 2025 1:45 pm

Pegasín wrote: Any source for date the birth of a Mexican Beetle?
I ordered the birth certificate from Volkswagen Classic Parts and the answer was that Mexican production data is not available and the factory archive in Wolfsburg don´t have any information about my car!

I tried to get a Birth Certificate years ago when I first got my Beetle (1996) and received a similar answer. However some people with newer 1600i Beetles have been able to get them (1998 and newer). I don't know if others have had any success (with older than '98 Mexican Beetles).

Anyways, I have a theory, in 1997 VW of Mexico switched to a 17 digit North American compliant VIN (starting with 3VWS1A), from 1993 (I don't know about before) for Beetles exported to Europe (like my car) they used a 17 digit 'padded' VIN, starting with 3VWZZZ. I suspect your car has a VIN starting with 3VWZZZ. I don't know of the domestically sold '93-'96 cars (sold in Mexico), they may have the same.

Anyways, I find it hard to believe that VW of Mexico has no records, and/or would have only transferred part of the records, so I'm thinking the records held by Classic VW Parts for pre-1997 cars are recorded by a 'partial' VIN. If you provide a full 17 digit VIN, they would not be able to find and would not think of doing 'partial' VIN searches.

In the case of a '96 example below (not my car) the VIN stamped is 3VWZZZ113TM517041. Note the two rows of digits, the second row shows TM517041 only. I suspect that is how the records are referenced with a truncated VIN like the '83 plate below in the first picture. So in the case of this example, I would use 11T517041 (dropping the 'M') or 11TM517041 in the request or other variations. Explain to them what I just provided, I don't know if it will work, but maybe worth a try.

Another thought is to provide them with your VIN and Engine #, maybe they can
back' annotate to find the records from the Engine #.

Short of that, your VIN shows the model year, date of production can be calculated by the number stamped just to left of where the engine closes.

From 1600i.de
VW Käfer 1600I from October 1992 (Model Year 1993):-
Production Stamp Location: Rear right on rear apron, next to the boot catch bracket
Production Stamp Form: wwdffff (note no paint code)
For example on my 2000 Mexican Beetle 1600i it reads:-
0267508 = 02 – 6 – 7508
= Saturday 15th January 2000

Note in the formula wwdfff, ww is the calendar week number, d is day of week with Sunday being a zero ("0"). The calendar year means for the '96s model years built the last week of December the code would start with a '52', while cars built the following week would start with a '01').