Each organization's staff will first try to settle the dispute informally. Recommendations are not binding on either party, but the vast majority of cases are resolved in this informal stage. Unsettled complaints progress to panels made up of consumer volunteers and representatives of manufacturers or dealer organizations. The panels findings are nonbinding. If you're dissatisfied with a mediator's recommendation, the next option is arbitration.
Some manufacturers run their own arbitration programs.
Others work through an outside group. Your owner's manual should tell you which program will be used. You'll need complete records, including work orders, letters, receipts, and notices. You must prove the vehicle has a problem, that both dealer and manufacturer have failed in several attempts to fix it, and that you've exhausted all other avenues. Arbitration is similar to a court hearing, though less formal.