Home BMW Repair BMW 3 Series (E30): 1984-90 Manual

BMW 3 Series (E30) Service Manual: 1984?1990

BMW 3 Series (E30) Vehicle Identification and VIN Decoder

Some of the information in this manual applies only to cars of a particular model year or range of years. For example, 1984 refers to the 1984 model year but does not necessarily match the calendar year in which the car was manufactured or sold. To be sure of the model year of a particular car, check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the car.

The VIN is a unique sequence of 17 characters assigned by BMW to identify each individual car. When decoded, the VIN tells the country and year of manufacture; make, model and serial number; assembly plant and even some equipment specifications.

The BMW VIN is on a plate mounted on the top of the dashboard, on the driver"s side where the number can be seen through the windshield. The 10th character is the model year code. The letters I, O, Q and U are not used for model year designation for US cars. Examples: E for 1984, F for 1985, G for 1986, H for 1987, etc. The table below explains some of the codes in the VIN for E30 cars.

Sample VIN: W B A A A 1 3 1 9 L A E 5 8 0 6 4

VIN Position
DescriptionDecoding Information
1Country of manufactureWGermany
2ManufacturerBBMW AG
3Manufacturing divisionA
S
BMW
BMW Motorsport
4-7Series, model
AK74: 318i, 4-cylinder 1.8 liter (M10)
AK84: 318iA, 4-cylinder 1.8 liter (M10)
AJ93: 318i, 4-cylinder 1.8 liter (M42)
AF93: 318is, 4-cylinder 1.8 liter (M42)
BA73: 318i, Convertible, 4-cylinder (M42)
AA13: 325i, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AA23: 325iA, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AD13: 325is, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AD23: 325isA, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AB54: 325e/es, 6-cylinder 2.7 liter (M20)
AB64: 325eA/esA, 6-cylinder 2.7 liter (M20)
AE54: 325, 6-cylinder 2.7 liter (M20)
AE64: 325A, 6-cylinder 2.7 liter (M20)
BB13: 325i Convertible, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
BB23: 325iA Convertible, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AK03: M3, 4-cylinder 2.3 liter (S14)
AB93: 325ix, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AB03: 325ixA, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AE93: 325ix 4-door, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
AE03: 325ixA 4-door, 6-cylinder 2.5 liter (M20)
8Restraint system0
1

2
Manual belts
Manual belts with supplemental restraint
Manual belts with dual SRS airbags
9Check digit0?9 or X, calculated by NHTSA
10Model year E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
European model
11Assembly plantA, F, G, K
B, C, D
E, J
Munich, Germany
Munich, Germany
Dingolfing, Germany
Regensburg, Germany
12-17Serial numberSequential production number for specific vehicle