Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 135I Convertible.
The 2008 BMW 135I Convertible is an E88 platform passenger car equipped with an Automatic (S6) transmission and an engine requiring 6.9 quarts of 15W-40 / 10W-40 / 10W-30 API SJ oil. While delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 17/26/20 mpg, this model year presents a reliability profile marked by 9 recalls and 87 total owner complaints. With Air Bags identified as the top complaint area, this data situates the model year within a reliability history that necessitates careful scrutiny of safety system records during evaluation.
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 | 13717556961 |
| Spark plug | 12120037244 |
| Front wiper blades | 61615A87C97 |
| Thermostat | 11537549476 |
| Cabin air filter | 64319313519 alt 64319142114 |
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 | 3380 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 57.5 / 58.3 in |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 17 / 26 / 20 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 |
| Engine Flywheel Bolts | AT: 92 ft-lbs, MT: 89 ft-lbs |
| 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 |
| Torque to Knuckle | 48 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.145; Rear: 0.145 pads |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness From | 0.787 in / 0.866 in / 0.945 in / 1.024 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness To | 0.787 in / 0.866 in / 0.945 in / 1.024 in |
| Rotor Discard at or Under | 0.724 in / 0.803 in / 0.881 in / 0.961 in |
| 1 | 15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 137 | 15 ft. lbs |
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 |
| 1 | 15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 70 | 15 ft. lbs |
Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.
Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 45,000 mi.
| Every 45,000 mi | Spark Plugs (replace) |
| Every 100,000 mi | 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 135I 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 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined mpg.