BMW325is1987Overview/bmw/325is/1987/base/

1987 BMW 325is

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 325is.

Anchored by specific maintenance parameters, the 1987 BMW 325is requires an engine oil capacity of 4.8 qt using recommended viscosities of 20W-50, 15W-50, and 10W-50 API SL. Ownership records show a stable history with zero recalls and only 5 total owner complaints recorded against the vehicle. With the top complaint area isolated to seat belts, this model year presents a distinct reliability profile for researchers evaluating long-term durability.

Model year199519941993199219911990198919881987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-50 / 15W-50 / 10W-50 API SLOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.8 qt of 20W-50 / 15W-50 / 10W-50 API SL 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 Oil20W-50 · API · 15W-50 · 10W-50 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Every 30,000 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 1987 BMW 325is dominate in one area — the seat belts, 2 of 5 reports (40%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts 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.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Seat Belts2
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Tires1
Visibility1

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 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B5108192024-01-16Electrical SystemThe basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

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 325is. 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 1987 325is take?

4.8 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.

Does the 1987 325is have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.