BMWX12015Overview/bmw/x1/2015/base/

2015 BMW X1

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 X1.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2015 BMW X1 is a passenger car equipped with an automatic (S8) transmission and an engine specifying 0W-30, 0W-40, or 5W-30 viscosity oil, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 23/33/26 mpg. Its reliability record includes four recalls and 94 total owner complaints, with air bags identified as the top complaint area. Within the 2012–2026 model complaint history—ranging from a high of 159 complaints in 2016 to a low of one in 2022—the 2015 model lands below that peak, reflecting a comparatively moderate volume of reported owner issues for this generation.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192015

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.3-5.8OEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/33/26 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 11428637820
Engine air filter13717582908 alt 13717599285
Fuel filter16117313791
Spark plug12120037582 alt 12120039664
Battery61217586960 alt 61217586961
Front wiper blades61612158219
Thermostat11538636594 alt 11538635689
Cabin air filter64319313519

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.2 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height61 in
Wheelbase108.7 in
Curb weight3726 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 33 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the X1 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.2–6.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.20 sec — 2014 xDrive35i
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2014xDrive35i 3.0L Turbo I-65.20 sec13.80 sec300 hpAWD
2013xDrive28i 2.0L Turbo I-46.00 sec14.60 sec240 hpAWD
2013xDrive28i 2.0L Turbo I-46.20 sec14.90 sec240 hpAWD
2013xDrive28i 2.0L Turbo I-46.40 sec14.90 sec240 hpAWD
2013xDrive28i 2.0L Turbo I-46.40 sec14.90 sec240 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.3-5.8 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 1-5-3-6-2-4. 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 Capacity9.1
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity9.8
Engine Oil0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts30 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts30 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts11
Engine Oil Pan Drain PlugM12 Bolts: 18.0, M22 Bolts: 44.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to TransmissionM8 Bolts: 33.0, M10: 58.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug24.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug24.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-5-3-6-2-4
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
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance570 cca
Optional BCI Group Number48
Optional BCI Cranking Performance760 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test21.7 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief17-23 psi
Pressure Test21.7 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief28-32 psi

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.145; Rear: 0.145 pads
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementStamped on rotor
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishStamped on rotor
Vented Rotor Maximum Scoring DepthStamped on rotor
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationStamped on rotor
Maximum Rotor RunoutStamped on rotor

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
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 X1 marks a pivotal year in its generation, sitting at the onset of a sharp rise in federal complaints—159 in 2016 and 154 in 2017—compared to zero in 2012. While the 2015 model itself doesn’t appear in the provided data, its immediate successor (2016) suggests the first-generation X1 was entering a phase of heightened reliability scrutiny, particularly around air bags (29 complaints) and engine/electrical systems (16+9 complaints). Recalls remained relatively stable (2–4 annually) from 2015 onward, but the spike in complaints and technical service bulletins (TSBs) in 2016–2017 implies latent issues surfaced as the vehicle aged. The 2015 model’s absence from the complaint ledger may indicate fewer reported problems, but the trend warns of potential deferred issues emerging in later years. With fire-related complaints (5) and crash incidents (4) also noted, the data suggests the 2015 X1 is a higher-risk buy compared to later, post-2018 models where complaints tapered significantly. Proceed with caution—prioritize a pre-purchase inspection targeting air bag and electrical systems.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
107
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
94
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 94 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags29
Engine & Engine Cooling,Electrical System16
Engine9
Unknown Or Other7
Electrical System6
Electrical System,Engine4
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine2

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 107 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B0616262026-02-06EngineDouble Pipe Return
B6113052024-01-11Electrical SystemThe electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process…
B1606232023-12-20Engine And Engine CoolingEngine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel…
B5217232023-12-11SeatsCustomer states one of the front seats is inoperative. The seat heater and power supply…
B6127232023-12-08Electrical SystemWhen using the Key Reader to retrieve CBS information from the customer key, no current…

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 X1. 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 X1 take?

5.3-5.8 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 X1 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the X1 get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 33 highway / 26 combined mpg.