Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 733i.
The 1984 BMW 733i is documented with a manufacturer-specified engine oil capacity of 5.3 quarts and recommended viscosities of 20W-50, 15W-50, or 10W-50 to API SL standard, giving researchers a concrete servicing baseline for the powertrain. Owner-reported reliability data for this model year is notably sparse, with only a single complaint logged — concentrated in the visibility category — and zero factory recalls on file. That minimal complaint footprint, paired with the absence of any recall campaigns, makes the 1984 model year a quiet reference point when tracing the nameplate's reliability history. Researchers can therefore use this year as a low-incidence anchor against which to measure the defect and service-bulletin trajectory of neighboring model years.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the 733i of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Sedan 3.2L I-6 | 10.30 sec | 18.00 sec | 197 hp | RWD |
| 1980 | Sedan 3.2L I-6 | 8.20 sec | 16.30 sec | 181 hp | RWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 5.3 qt of 20W-50 / 15W-50 / 10W-50 API SL engine oil, GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Differential Gear Oil | GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 3.8 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-50 · API · 15W-50 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5.3 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | ATF |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1984 BMW 733i dominate in one area — the visibility, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the visibility 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 1 complaints on record, top 1 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.
5.3 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.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.