BMW320i xDrive2015Overview/bmw/320i-xdrive/2015/base/

2015 BMW 320i xDrive

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 320i xDrive.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2015 BMW 320i xDrive is a passenger car backed by an automatic S8 transmission and an engine that requires 5.1 quarts of oil in 0W-30, 0W-40, or 5W-30 viscosities, returning EPA-estimated fuel economy of 23 city, 34 highway, and 27 combined mpg. Its reliability record shows 33 total owner complaints and three recalls, with the engine ranking as the top complaint area — a concentration that underscores the importance of verifying powertrain service history when assessing this model year.

Model year201820172016201520142013

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.1 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/34/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 800 CCA battery, OE oil filter 11428683168. 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 94R · 800 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size225/50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter11428683168 alt 11428637821
Engine air filter13718507320
Spark plug12120039664
Battery61217635788 alt 61217598775
Front wiper blades61615A43585
Cabin air filter64119237555 alt 64116821995

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.3 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3450 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)50/50

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 34 / 27 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume13 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 5.1 qt of 0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil, Castrol SAF-X0 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to M12 Bolts: 18.0, M22 Bolts: 44.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilCastrol SAF-X0
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity8.0-9.0
Engine Oil0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity5.1 qt
Fuel Tank Capacity15.8 gallons

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts30 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain PlugM12 Bolts: 18.0, M22 Bolts: 44.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts29.5 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug24.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerBMW
Spark Plug TypeM14X1.25
Spark Plug Gapnon-adjustable in
Spark Plug Torque20.0 - 24.3 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance800 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test21.8 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-23 psi

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.145; Rear: 0.145 pads
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront w/11.81"

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
3Bolts 1-10 90 degrees90 degrees
445 degrees45 degrees

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 2015 BMW 320i xDrive shows a positive trend in federal reliability data compared to the 2014 model, with total complaints dropping from 51 to 33. This downward arc is further evidenced by a decrease in recalls from seven to three and a reduction in Technical Service Bulletins from 486 to 421. For the 2015 model, the most frequent complaints center on the engine (8), though the data does not specify the root cause of these issues. Additional reports for 2015 include "Unknown Or Other" (5) and the fuel/propulsion system (4), alongside one recorded fire complaint and zero crash complaints. Given the consistent reduction in complaints, recalls, and investigations relative to the previous year, this is a good year to buy.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
421
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
33
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 33 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine8
Unknown Or Other5
Fuel/Propulsion System4
Exterior Lighting3
Structure3
Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 421 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B5108192024-01-16Electrical SystemThe basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B6113052024-01-11Electrical SystemThe electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process…
B0109192023-11-16Engine And Engine CoolingDIESEL FUEL INJECTORS: LTD WTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES
B6515232023-05-01Electrical SystemAfter programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode)…
B8408222023-03-01Electrical SystemThe 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be…

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 320i xDrive. 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 2015 320i xDrive take?

5.1 qt of Gasoline engines: 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 oil meeting BMW specification LL01.Diesel engines: 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 oil meeting BMW specification LL04, per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 320i xDrive have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 320i xDrive get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 34 highway / 27 combined mpg.