What distinguishes this version
1,499 cc three-cylinder petrol turbo, B38 family (ADAC engine code B38A15A): 80 kW (109 PS) and 190 Nm. Gearbox: six-speed manual or seven-speed Steptronic dual-clutch. BMW quotes 10.6 s for 0–100 km/h and a top speed of 200 km/h. WLTP combined consumption on BMW’s 03/2021 sheet: 6.6–5.7 l/100 km (6.8–5.8 with the dual-clutch gearbox). Added in November 2020 alongside the 120i, it is the entry-level petrol: the same three-cylinder as the 118i, rated at 80 kW. ADAC lists it until the end of the series in 2024.
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Engine oil: quantity and approvals
Oil change: 4.5 l according to BMW’s 03/2021 specification sheet (“oil change”). For top-ups, the handbook allows up to 1 litre of BMW Longlife-12 FE or Longlife-17 FE+, SAE 0W-20 or 0W-30 (ACEA C2 or C5 if unavailable), with no additives. The level is measured electronically: it is monitored while driving, and a detailed measurement can be started with the car stationary, level and warm, under CAR › Vehicle status › Engine oil level. Only add oil when the car asks for it, by the quantity it displays.
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What the service display tracks
The car calculates each due date from how it is used (Condition Based Service) and briefly shows the next date or remaining distance when switched on; details are under CAR › Vehicle status › Service required. BMW’s regular maintenance covers engine oil, brake fluid, a vehicle check, the air filter, the cabin microfilter and the spark plugs. Brake fluid is counted in time and periods with the battery disconnected are not counted: have the workshop update the time-based items. Neither the handbook nor BMW’s list sets a mileage or period for these items: the dates are the ones your car displays.
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Timing drive
The 116i uses the same 1.5-litre three-cylinder B38 family. Chain-driven: for the 118i’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder, BMW’s 2019 press kit describes a one-piece chain drive for the valve gear; an L-shaped belt drives only the ancillaries (alternator, water pump, vibration damper, air-conditioning compressor). The timing drive appears neither in the handbook nor in BMW’s regular maintenance list: no scheduled replacement.
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Prepare the next service
Check the power on the registration document (80 kW) and the first-registration date. Note the items and dates shown under “Service required”. Give the service advisor the key the car was last driven with: the car stores its service data in it. Ask for 4.5 l of a BMW-approved oil, then check that the work is entered in the electronic service history, which a later owner can view.
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