AudiCabriolet1997Overview/audi/cabriolet/1997/base/

1997 Audi Cabriolet

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Cabriolet.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Audi Cabriolet is a convertible model whose engine requires 5.3 qt of oil, with recommended viscosities of 5W‑30, 5W‑40 or 10W‑30 API, and is mated to a four‑speed automatic transmission that delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. Reliability records show just two owner complaints for the year, the most frequent concerning vehicle speed control, along with a single recall, positioning 1997 near the low end of the 1993‑2003 complaint range—only 1998 recorded fewer complaints.

Model year1998199719961995

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque81 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/22/19 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 Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, thermostat and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 / turnSTOPOEM · verified
Tire size195-65HR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter078115561J
Engine air filter191129620 discontinued
Fuel filter893133511 discontinued
Spark plug101000041AC alt 101000033AA
Front wiper blades4A0955427
Serpentine belt078903137AQ
Thermostat078121113F discontinued
Cabin air filter8A0819439 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 22 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Cabriolet of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.70 sec — 1995 Convertible
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995Convertible 2.8L V69.70 sec17.20 sec172 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.3 qt of 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 API engine oil, 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
Engine Oil Capacity5.3 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE VW. PART NO. G002000

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts7 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs18 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.2

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts81 ft-lbs

Ignition

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
Refrigerant Capacity1.44 lbs
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity8.50 oz
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
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle44 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.984 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.984 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.906 in / 0.315 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9022 ft. lbs
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 30,000 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 Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miBrake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Windshield Washer System (inspect fluid level)
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)
At 30,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Final Drive (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miOxygen Sensor (replace)
Every 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

In 1997 the Audi Cabriolet recorded 2 complaints and 1 recall, placing it well below the 8 complaints and 2 recalls seen in 1996 and comparable to the 1 complaint and zero recalls of 1998. The complaint profile is limited to Vehicle Speed Control and Steering, each accounting for a single report, while crash and fire complaints remain absent. Across the model generation, complaints rose sharply in 1996, peaked, then declined steadily through 1997 and 1998, indicating a downward trend in reported problems for the target year. The target year therefore falls in the early phase of this decline, suggesting fewer documented defects than the preceding peak year. Given the low complaint count, minimal recall activity, and absence of safety‑critical crash or fire reports, the 1997 model represents a comparatively reliable choice, though buyers should still verify service records for the identified speed control and steering concerns.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
6
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Vehicle Speed Control1
Steering1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

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 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB-44-08-142008-11-19WheelsAUDI: WHEEL BOLTS REQUIRE TORQUE ADJUSTMENT. TORQUE STICKS AND TORQUE EXTENSION BARS ARE…
2012749-22007-02-26Exterior LightingEXTERIOR LIGHTS, MOSITURE ACCUMULATION. *PE
200562432007-02-26Exterior LightingHEADLIGHT AIMING, USING HELLA UNIVERSAL BEAMSETTER. *KB
06042006-04-07Engine And Engine CoolingOIL SLUDGE LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION. *KB
04312005-08-11Engine And Engine CoolingREPAIRS OF OIL SLUDGE RELATED PROBLEMS. *TT

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 Cabriolet. 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 1997 Cabriolet take?

5.3 qt of ENERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API SL, EXCEPT ENGERGY CONSERVING OILS: 5W-50, 10W-50, OR 10W-60 API SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Cabriolet have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Cabriolet get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined mpg.