BBB Auto Line: Missouri's Manufacturer-Certified IDS

BBB Auto Line is the certified IDS used by most major manufacturers in Missouri. Under § 407.569, if the manufacturer’s IDS is certified (16 C.F.R. Part 703 compliant), the consumer must use that procedure first before court action.

Why BBB Auto Line matters in Missouri

Missouri does NOT have a state-administered Lemon Law arbitration board. The procedural choice is:

Manufacturer’s certified IDS (BBB Auto Line for most) — required first.
Court action — Missouri Circuit Court or D. Mo.

BBB Auto Line process

Step	Detail
Filing	Online at bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/bbbautoline
Filing fee	$0 (manufacturer pays)
Acknowledgment	Within 5-10 days
Manufacturer response	14-30 days
Hearing	In-person, telephonic, or document review
Decision	Within 40 days of filing
Acceptance/rejection	Consumer has 14 days to accept or reject

Manufacturers using BBB Auto Line

Toyota / Lexus
Honda / Acura
Ford / Lincoln (Claycomo plant is home-state)
General Motors (Wentzville plant is home-state)
Nissan / Infiniti
Hyundai / Genesis
Kia
BMW / Mini
Mercedes-Benz
Volkswagen / Audi / Porsche
Subaru
Volvo
Stellantis (Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler) — varies

Tesla and Rivian generally do NOT participate in BBB Auto Line.

What BBB can award

Refund of purchase price + tax + fees + incidental damages, minus reasonable use offset.
Replacement vehicle.
Repair (rare).

What BBB cannot award

MMPA punitive damages — court only.
Attorney fees — § 407.579 fees apply only in court action.
Punitive damages.

Acceptance vs. rejection

Accept the BBB award → binding on both parties; manufacturer must comply within 30 days.
Reject the BBB award → court action available with de novo review.

When BBB Auto Line is the right path

Clean refund/replacement case without MMPA exposure.
Quick resolution preferred (40 days).
Don’t want to litigate discovery + depositions.

When to skip BBB Auto Line

MMPA / deceptive practice case — court only.
Dealer fraud / misrepresentation — court only.
Manufacturer not in BBB Auto Line (Tesla, Rivian) — court direct.
Complex damages beyond statutory refund.

Missouri strategy

For most Missouri Lemon Law cases:

BBB Auto Line filing (required if manufacturer is certified).
Accept BBB award if favorable, OR
File court action (Missouri Circuit Court or D. Mo.) with parallel MMPA (post-SB 591 compliant) + Magnuson-Moss claims.

Bottom line

BBB Auto Line is the gateway for most Missouri Lemon Law cases — required first under § 407.569. Use it for clean refund/replacement claims. For MMPA punitive damage exposure or dealer fraud, file court action.

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