Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 128I Convertible.
The 2008 BMW 128i Convertible is a passenger car built on the E88 platform, featuring a 6.9-quart engine with a recommended oil viscosity of 15W-40, 10W-40, or 10W-30 meeting API SJ specifications, paired with an automatic S6 transmission and achieving EPA fuel economy ratings of 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined; this model year falls within a generation that has recorded 87 owner complaints to date, with air bags representing the most frequently cited concern among nine total recalls, suggesting that for researchers evaluating this vehicle's dependability profile, the complaint data and recall history indicate prospective owners should carefully verify air bag system functionality and stay current on any outstanding safety recall repairs.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 570 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.
| Engine oil filter | 11428683168 alt 11428637821 |
| Engine air filter | 13717542294 |
| Spark plug | 12122158253 |
| Front wiper blades | 61615A87C97 |
| Thermostat | 11537549476 |
| Cabin air filter | 64319142114 alt 64319313519 |
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
| Overall length | 171.7 in |
| Overall width | 68.9 in |
| Overall height | 55.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 104.7 in |
| Curb weight | 3258 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 57.5 / 58.3 in |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 18 / 27 / 21 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Passenger volume | 78 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 8 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Premium Gasoline |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 6.9 qt of 15W-40 / 10W-40 / 10W-30 API SJ engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 88 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.4 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.
| Automatic Transmission Fluid | BMW part number 83220142516 |
| Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity | 10.5-11.5 |
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 2.2 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 15W-40 · API · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 6.9 qt |
| Manual Transmission Fluid | BMW MTF part number 83229408942 |
| Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts | 11 ft-lbs |
| Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts | 15 ft-lbs |
| Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug | 18.4 ft-lbs |
| Lug Nuts | 88 ft-lbs |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
| Spark Plug Manufacturer | BMW |
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Oil Group | PAG |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 48 |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 570 cca |
| Optional BCI Group Number | 94R |
| Optional BCI Cranking Performance | 640 cca |
| Engine Compression | 130-261 PSI. 29 maximum variation. psi |
| Brake Application | WITH 11.81 inch ROTOR |
| Torque to Knuckle | 81 ft-lbs |
| Torque to Knuckle | 48 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.145; Rear: 0.145 pads |
| Brake Application | WITH 11.81 inch ROTOR |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness From | 0.945 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness To | 0.945 in |
| Rotor Discard at or Under | 0.881 in |
Prep Do not reuse old bolts
| 1 | 22.0 ft. lbs. | 22 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 3 | Bolts 1-10 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 4 | 45 degrees | 45 degrees |
Prep Do not reuse old bolts
| 1 | 22.0 ft. lbs. | 22 ft. lbs |
| 2 | 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 3 | Bolts 1-10 90 degrees | 90 degrees |
| 4 | 45 degrees | 45 degrees |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi.
| Every 100,000 mi | Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill) |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 2008 BMW 128I Convertible lead in one area — the air bags, 19 of 87 reports (22%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 4 of the reports describe a crash and 4 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags 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 87 complaints on record, top 8 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 5 of 154 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B611305 | 2024-01-11 | Electrical System | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process… |
| SB23-01 | 2023-08-02 | Steering | Spl Parts, Inc. communications index accompanying MCP uploads 23mc40464 & 23mc40471 |
| sb23-01TMS | 2023-07-17 | Steering | This is the companion to SPL Parts, Inc.'s SB 23-01 mailed by private label independent… |
| SB 23-01 | 2023-07-14 | Suspension | SPL Parts, Inc. manufacturers and distributes aftermarket lower control arms for… |
| B011321 | 2021-05-01 | Engine And Engine Cooling | CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT: N54/N54T/N55 ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLANT PUMP . With the court's… |
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.
6.9 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 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 18 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.