The 2018 BMW 3 Series has a fuel tank capacity of 10.8 to 15.8 gallons (41–60 liters), depending on the trim. The most common size is 15.8 gallons, used on 7 trims.
A full tank is good for roughly 259–645 highway miles or 302–465 miles around town, going by the EPA ratings.
020 gal40 gal
15.8 gal · Smaller than 71% of 2018 models we list.
340i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A · AWD · Premium (recommended)MPG 21 / 31Range 332 / 490 mi
3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A
AWD
15.8 gal60 L
Premiumrecommended
21 / 31
332 / 490 mi
No trim matches all of these filters.
Tank figures are the manufacturer's rated capacity, sorted smallest tank first. Range is tank size times EPA city or highway MPG.
How far a 2018 BMW 3 Series goes on a tank
Gallons left and the distance they cover at each mark on the fuel gauge, at EPA city and highway mileage. At the combined rating of 27 MPG, a full 15.8-gallon tank covers about 427 miles.
Gauge
Gallons
Highway miles
City miles
Full
15.8
537
363
3/4
11.9
403
273
1/2
7.9
269
182
1/4
4.0
134
91
1/8
2.0
67
45
Over 15,000 miles a year (the EPA's yearly estimate) this configuration uses about 556 gallons, roughly 35 full tanks.
Fuel gauges aren't perfectly linear and the low-fuel light comes on with a few gallons still in the tank, so plan your stop before the last eighth.
At 15.8 gallons, the 3 Series's largest tank ranks sixth of the seven 2018 sedans compared here. The Volvo S60 carries the most (17.8 gal) and the Audi A4 the least (15.3 gal).
Picked by body style and size: other 2018 sedans within about 5% of the 3 Series's length and 15% of its curb weight, one model per brand.
2018 BMW 3 Series fuel system recalls
NHTSA lists 3 fuel-system recalls for the 2018 BMW 3 Series, out of 7 recalls in total. A recall applies only to the vehicles named in it, so check your VIN.
Fuel system, dieselOct 15, 2025 · NHTSA 25V700000 · Bmw Of North America, LLC · 112 vehicles
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 328D SportsWagon, 328D xDrive SportsWagon, 328D xDrive, and 328D diesel vehicles equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Risk and remedy
Risk: Smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the EGR cooler, inspect and replace the intake manifold, if necessary, and clean the EGR pipe connecting the cooler to the manifold, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 5, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 5, 2025. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V907.
Fuel system, dieselNov 19, 2021 · NHTSA 21V907000 · Bmw Of North America, LLC · 50,404 vehicles
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Delivery · Fuel pumpJul 29, 2021 · NHTSA 21V586000 · Bmw Of North America, LLC · 11,216 vehicles
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Risk and remedy
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
What is the fuel tank capacity of the 2018 BMW 3 Series?
The 2018 BMW 3 Series holds between 10.8 and 15.8 gallons, depending on the trim. 15.8 gallons is the usual size; the smaller 10.8-gallon tank is on the 330e iPerformance 4dr Sedan.
How many gallons and liters does the 2018 BMW 3 Series gas tank hold?
The 2018 BMW 3 Series tank holds 41–60 liters, or 10.8–15.8 gallons in US gallons.
Which 2018 BMW 3 Series has the biggest gas tank?
The 15.8-gallon tank is on the 320i 4dr Sedan, 320i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD, 330i 4dr Sedan and 4 other trims. The smallest tank, 10.8 gallons, is on the 330e iPerformance 4dr Sedan.
Does the 2018 BMW 3 Series tank change with the powertrain?
How far can a 2018 BMW 3 Series go on a full tank?
About 259–645 miles on the highway and 302–465 miles in town, going from full to empty at its EPA ratings. Expect less in practice, since nobody runs the tank dry.
How many miles can a 2018 BMW 3 Series go on a quarter tank?
About 134 highway miles or 91 in town from the 15.8-gallon tank, which has roughly 4.0 gallons left at the quarter mark. Gauges aren't exact, so treat that as a guide.
What gas does the 2018 BMW 3 Series take?
Premium unleaded (recommended), or Diesel fuel, depending on the engine. The label inside the fuel door confirms it for your car.
How much does it cost to fill up a 2018 BMW 3 Series?
At the US average of $5.28 a gallon for premium (EIA, week of October 26, 2026), filling the 15.8-gallon tank from empty costs $83.42. It ranges from $72.21 in the Gulf Coast to $100.49 in California.
How much does a full tank of gas weigh in a 2018 BMW 3 Series?
About 98 pounds for the 15.8-gallon tank. Gasoline weighs roughly 6.2 pounds a gallon.
Does the 2018 BMW 3 Series have a bigger gas tank than the Volvo S60?
No. The 2018 Volvo S60 holds up to 17.8 gallons; the 2018 BMW 3 Series holds up to 15.8.
Has the 2018 BMW 3 Series had a fuel pump or fuel system recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 fuel-system recalls for the 2018 BMW 3 Series: 25V700000 (fuel system, diesel); 21V907000 (fuel system, diesel); 21V586000 (delivery · fuel pump). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your car is affected.
Sources
Tank sizes: manufacturer-rated capacities from US-market specifications, cross-checked against a second spec database. Updated October 2026.
MPG and range: EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov). Range is tank size times EPA MPG.