AudiA6/Avant/Quattro1996Overview/audi/a6-avant-quattro/1996/base/

1996 Audi A6/Avant/Quattro

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 A6/Avant/Quattro.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Audi A6/Avant/Quattro is a four‑door passenger car built on Audi’s quattro‑all‑wheel‑drive platform, powered by a 5.7‑quart engine that requires 5W‑30, 5W‑40, or 10W‑30 oil; it earns EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined while mated to a smooth‑shifting 4‑speed automatic transmission. In its first year of production, the model received only two recalls, yet it accumulated 54 owner complaints—most notably in the electrical system—placing it in the early, somewhat mixed phase of its reliability legacy. This snapshot underscores a vehicle that delivers the hallmark quattro performance while still grappling with nascent electrical quirks that will shape its long‑term reputation.

Model year1998199719961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque81 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 41 · 650 CCA battery, OE oil filter 078115561J. Note the factory fuel filter and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 41 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnSWITCHOEM · verified
Tire size195-65HR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter078115561J
Fuel filter893133511 discontinued
Spark plug101000033AA alt 101000051AA
Front wiper blades4A0955425B alt 4A0955425A
Serpentine belt078903137AQ alt 078903137BD
Thermostat078121113F discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 23 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume92 cu ft
Cargo volume17 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.7 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 engine oil, Rear: 90 GL- in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 81 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-3-6-2-5.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilRear: 90 GL-
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.7 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · 5W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-50 · 10W-50 · 10W-60
Engine Oil Capacity5.7 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · 5W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-50 · 10W-50 · 10W-60
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts7 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts81 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug37.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug37.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-4-5-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-4-3-6-2-5
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance18,000-25,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerVW
Spark Plug Gap0.035-0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number41
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number41
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number41
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14.5 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature179 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)55.0-61.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)48.0-54.0 psi
Residual Pressure32-44 psi
Engine Compression189
Engine Compression203

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle48 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket184 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle81 ft-lbs
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.98 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.98 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.91 in / 0.31 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.98 in / 0.79 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9022 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144.0 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
2180
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9044 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 18030 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
144 ft. lbs., Step 2: 18044 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAir Conditioning Evaporator Case Drain (inspect) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Final Drive (drain & refill) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miOxygen Sensor (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1996 Audi A6/Avant/Quattro dominate in one area — the electrical system, 32 of 54 reports (59%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the electrical system are also the target of recall 96V-017 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
44
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
54
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 54 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System32
Air Bags3
Structure3
Power Train2
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting,Visibility,Equipment2
Vehicle Speed Control1
Tires1
Engine & Engine Cooling1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

96V017000Electrical System:Ignition:SwitchReported 29/01/1996

DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCHES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND CAN CAUSE SOME ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES TO MALFUNCTION. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

97V175000Air Bags:FrontalReported 08/10/1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DISCHARGE OF STATIC ELECTRICITY UNDER LOW HUMIDITY CONDITIONS CAN ACTIVATE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WHEN THE DRIVER ENTERS OR EXITS THE VEHICLE AND FORMS AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND WIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 44 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
AWC 19-052019-08-28Electrical SystemThis communication is issued to inform dealers of updated shipping regulations related to…
AWC 19-042019-07-22EquipmentThis communication is issued to remind dealers of the repair validation process for…
A941791 2012749-2017-07-31Exterior LightingThis informational bulletin contains technical information for when there is condensation…
SM 44-2017 EN2017-06-28EquipmentThis special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the…
ATE-17-052017-03-03EquipmentDue to increasing requests for high voltage personal protective equipment (HVE PPE) for…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific A6/Avant/Quattro. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 A6/Avant/Quattro take?

5.7 qt of ENERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30 OR 10W-40 MEETING VW SPECIFICATION VW50200, EXCEPT ENGERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-50, 10W-50, OR 10W-60 MEETING VW SPECIFICATION VW50200, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 A6/Avant/Quattro have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the A6/Avant/Quattro get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.