BMW325I - E301993Overview/bmw/325i-e30/1993/base/
E30 platform

1993 BMW 325I - E30

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 325I - E30.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Manual 5-spd

The 1993 BMW 325I is a passenger car built on the E30 platform, featuring a 5-speed manual transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 15/22/18 mpg. The vehicle requires 7.0 quarts of 15W-40, 10W-40, or 10W-30 API SJ engine oil. Reliability data for this model year indicates nine recalls and 55 total owner complaints, with the most frequent issues occurring in the engine and engine cooling areas.

Model year1993199219911990198919881987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity7.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-40 / 10W-30 API SJOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 11421707779. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter11421707779 alt 11421730389
Engine air filter13721720861 alt 13721730449
Fuel filter13321268231
Spark plug12129064619 alt 12129064617
Battery61211378094
Front wiper blades61611387678
Serpentine belt11281703943 alt 64551722991
Thermostat11531710953 alt 11537511580
Cabin air filter64119069895 alt 64311394093

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionManual 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174.4 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height53.9 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight3086 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 7.0 qt of 15W-40 / 10W-40 / 10W-30 API SJ engine oil, GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilGL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.6 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil15W-40 · API · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity7.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Every 50,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miOxygen Sensor (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 1993 BMW 325I - E30 top in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 9 of 55 reports (16%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 3 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling 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.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
9
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
55
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 55 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling9
Structure8
Electrical System6
Fuel System, Gasoline5
Exterior Lighting5
Air Bags4
Seat Belts3
Visibility3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

96V111000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 01/07/1996

THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.

97V131000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 19/08/1997

THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 9 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B5108192024-01-16Electrical SystemThe basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
SI B63 02 082008-05-01Exterior LightingREAR BULB FAILURE. MODEL E92 (3 SERIES COUPE) VEHICLES PRODUCED UP TO JANUARY 21, 2008…
SI B11 13 072008-04-01Engine And Engine CoolingN54 RATTLE NOISE FROM TURBOCHARGER AREA. MODELS E90, E92 AND E93 (3 SERIES) 335I AND…
SI B12 01 082008-01-01Engine And Engine CoolingN52 EDK THROTTLE JAMMING FAULTS 2D09, 2CED AND 2CEC. MODEL E90 AND E91 (3 SERIES) AND E60…
1204052006-03-01Engine And Engine CoolingCHECK ENGINE LAMP ILLUMINATED AND/OR VEHICLE OVERHEATS. BMW E90 (3 SERIES) ALL E90 (3…

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 325I - E30. 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 1993 325I - E30 take?

7.0 qt of HIGH PERFORMANCE MINERAL OILS: ABOVE 5 degrees F: 15W-40 API SJ, SL OR SM, -5 degreesF TO 68 degrees F: 10W-40 API SJ, SL OR SM, 5 degreesF TO 50 degrees F: 10W-30 API SJ, SL OR SM, BELOW 50 degrees F: 5W-30 API SJ, SL OR SM, BELOW 32 degrees F:, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 325I - E30 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 325I - E30 get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.