Electrical problems Opened back hatch with key just fine. Loaded car, hatch would not close with key...started blinking hatch lights and making strange clicking noise. Closed hatch manually. Clicking noise continued. Car unresponsive to key...and will not start. Alarm system light is on dash, but nothing happens with key.

Rear hatch is locked or unlocked with a key. (if equipped) • To open the rear hatch, insert the key into the lock, turn it to the unlock position and pull up the rear hatch by pressing the handle (DOOR). You can also lock/unlock the latch (but not release it) with the central door lock system. • If unlocked, the rear hatch can be opened by pressing the handle (DOOR) and pulling the hatch up. • To close the rear hatch, lower and push down the rear hatch firmly. Make sure that the rear hatch is securely latched.

the battery is dead

You can use a flat blade screwdriver and use it on the latch to release (open) the mechanism so the hatch will latch next time you close it.

same thing happened to us.  My wife came home and said the rear brake lights were stuck on so I assumed it was the brake switch...not so. Took car for a ride and noticed rear wiper did not work and when I hit the brake the rear hatched opened and door locks blew out.  I started by looking at the wires in the gromet above the hatch and found almost all the wires were bare.  Therefore power was jumping  the bare wires and traveling back down the third break light and to the rear brake lights and visa versa.. a very dangerous situation.  The best that I can tell is the wires are so short in length that they pull and chafe every time you open and close the hatch...very poor design...   Note: we bought our vehicle brand new and some of the wires had electrical tape on them....seems mickey moused.

This is a 2 part question so ill answer it that way

1. with the hatch, there are 2 things you can try. First look in the glove box and see if there is a button or switch that says "valet". Some models have this so when you valet park your car, they cant get in with the key. If you dont have that, try to push in on the hatch door while turning the key. There may be something in the latch the last time it was closed like a peice of cloth etc that has the lock bound.

2. When your car is running is your generator light on? After a car is started, the alternator takes over running all your electrical needs. The battery just starts the engine and runs things when the engine is not on. To me, this part sounds more like a fuel injection problem. Lucas oil products makes a good fuel injection cleaner

Try taking the battery out of your remote to see if it just still sending the signal????? You might have to clean your remote with contact cleaner. Also check the latch to make sure nothing is in the way of the latch????

Check to see if you have inadvertantly hit the push switch on the rear dome lite. Click it once and try
your lites again..I had this happen on my 93 jeep and that was the problem.

Look for a button like thing sticking out of frame where door closes, or even on door frame for same. May even look like a wedge shaped black button, spring loaded, try moving it to see. That will be your switch that turns on the light when open.

I don't have any beetle experience, but there should be a little 'button' around the door of the hatch (all car doors have this). When the door is closed (or hatch), the door pushes the button in which breaks the electric circuit and turns the light off. When the door is opened, the button pops out and the circuit is complete, which turns the light on. Look for this 'button' around the hatch area, see if it's damaged (bent over) which would keep the circuit open, and the light on. Good luck, countrycurt0