Inspection light on with all green LEDs

[Paul in NZ]

I found the answer here:



the clock symbol lights up once a year on all BMW till built year 08/1990, but from built date 09/1990 every 2 years in connection (together) with the annual inspection. That means the annual inspection is due, no matter how many km the car was driven


Die Anzeige "Jahreskontrolle" durch das Uhrensymbol wird in derselben Weise gelöscht wie die Anzeige "INSPECTION" der Verschleisswartung.



after resetting of the annual (clock) inspection the check control lights remain the same. Should there be the exceptional case that the annual service as well as the regular service/inspection light up at the same time, both can be reset one after the other, but there must be a 10 seconds interuption in between both resets.

German E36 archive
http://www.bmw-e36-archiv.de/intervall.html

perfect,as a 12/89 car that explains why mine shows the clock every year at the same time!

[shogun]

Generally that was/is the trend in all mechanical applications, whatever equipment is is. But then the manufacturers found out that they make less money from the after sales regular service, the customer contact is less and in longer intervals. Now they want to have the customers back in their shops, as the equipment for the service becomes more and more complicated and expensive, so it must be utilized. For example where I live they send letters to customers for a free check on this or that, of course the aim is to get the customer back and when the car is in the shop it is easier to sell something additionally.
And with the lifetime transmission fluid they probably selected the wrong word, should have been better called long life transmission fluid. Nice article here:

Case Studies
BMW and Volvo – The Truth About Lifetime Transmission Fluids
BMW and Volvo – The Truth About Lifetime Transmission Fluids « Case Studies | Atlantic Motorcar Center – Wiscasset, Maine