Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 325E.
The 1984 BMW 325E anchors the entry-level E30 3 Series lineup with a focus on efficiency, requiring 4.3 quarts of oil and accepting a range of viscosities from 20W-50 to 10W-50 API SL. With just three owner complaints on file and a single recall, this model year stands as a notably trouble-free entry in the E30’s history, though the few issues that did surface centered on visibility.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.3 qt of 20W-50 / 15W-50 / 10W-50 API SL engine oil, GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Differential Gear Oil | GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 3.8 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-50 · API · 15W-50 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.3 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | ATF |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1984 BMW 325E dominate in one area — the visibility, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the visibility are also the target of recall 93V-015 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the visibility 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.
All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND A RESULTING INCREASE IN SYSTEM PRESSURE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A THERMOSTATIC BYPASS VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CONTROL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IN THE HEATER CORE. ALSO, A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP WILL BE INSTALLED, TO…
Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B510819 | 2024-01-16 | Electrical System | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
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Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.3 qt of 14 degrees F TO 122 degrees F: 20W-50 API SL OR GREATER, -4 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 15W-50 API SL, -22 degrees F TO 68 degrees F: 10W-50 API SL OR GREATER, -40 degrees F TO 23 degrees F: 5W-30 API SL OR GREATER, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.