Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| Every 50,000 mi | Oxygen Sensor (replace) · Timing Belt (inspect) |
Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 325is.
The 1989 BMW 325is, equipped with an automatic 4-speed transmission, requires 4.5 quarts of engine oil in viscosities such as 15W-40, 10W-40, or 10W-30 meeting API SJ standards, and delivers EPA fuel economy of 16 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. With only eight total owner complaints—the most common concerning Vehicle Speed Control—and zero recalls, this model year stands out in the 325is reliability history as a notably low-concern variant for researchers.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 16 / 20 / 18 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Passenger volume | 81 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 12 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Regular Gasoline |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.5 qt of 15W-40 / 10W-40 / 10W-30 API SJ engine oil, GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Differential Gear Oil | GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 3.6 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 15W-40 · API · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.5 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | ATF |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
| Every 50,000 mi | Oxygen Sensor (replace) · Timing Belt (inspect) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1989 BMW 325is lead in one area — the vehicle speed control, 2 of 8 reports (25%), 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 vehicle speed control 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 8 complaints on record, top 7 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
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.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.5 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.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 16 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg.