first you have to take of the beauty ring, this is done by unscrewing the screw in the bottom of the beauty ring. Next, you have to unscrew two screws on the either side of the light, don't unscrew the one on the top because that is just the beam adjuster. Finally, unplug the wire from the back of the light and it's out.
You have to remove the headlight assembly to get to it. Google "how to change a VW New Beetle headlight bulb" and you can find how-tos with pictures, which is helpful here because one of the bolts holding it in is nearly inaccessible.
There's a chrome trim ring around the headlight, which pries off. Remove it, and you'll find another ring around the headlight, which is held on with three screws. Remove the three screws and the ring, and the headlight will fall out in your hand. Unplug the old, plug in the new and..."installation is the reverse of removal."
You do it the same way on both. The headlight has a chromed trim ring around it. It's held on with one screw at the bottom. Remove the screw and pull off the ring. The lamp itself is held on with another ring that's attached to the car with three screws. Remove all three and the ring will come off, followed by the headlight.
More-likey-than-not it is a bad ground. Check your ground wire for rust or corrosion, clean and replace.
The actual light bulb lamps are different so I believe the headlight housings will be different too.
They twist left. They are a little hard some times to remove.
Passenger side go in from under the hood and find the socket. Remove it and replace the bulb. Drivers side is a different story. You have to remove the battery to get at the socket.
beneath the dash
My Beetle is a 2002 it had some bad yellowing of the headlights, I tried The Headlight Solution at headlightsolution.net , the advanced headlight restoration kit worked great, it was fast, and easy. Good Luck.
You should buy the Bentley manual as the ignition switches have changed over the years.
Yes. You have to remove the battery before changing the driver side head light bulb.
There are three screws. The two diagonal ones adjust the beam. If you unscrew the the bigger one at the bottom the headlight just pulls out from the bottom.