ARLINGTON, Va. -

Better Business Bureaus Auto Line — a national program which resolves auto warranty and lemon law disputes — announced Tuesday it is celebrating its 30th birthday.

Officials noted the program has helped nearly 2 million consumers find solutions to their automotive-related problems.

Stephan Cox, president and chief executive officer of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, offered his opinion on the program’s success over the years: "BBB is committed to improving marketplace trust and the BBB Auto Line program is an example of BBB in action.

"Through BBB Auto Line, we found an industry interested in working more closely with its customers to resolve complaints rapidly and fairly,” he continued.

Moving on to highlight some of the program’s history, when the program was founded in 1971, consumers were “were frequently returning for repairs, creating frustration and quality concerns,” officials noted.

Also a problem, was apparently “a lack of easy access” to quality customer service representatives.

"During the early years, BBB Auto Line received more than 240,000 complaints a year. In 2010, fewer than 18,000 consumers filed complaints with BBB Auto Line," said Rod Davis, senior vice president at the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

"This is a testament to the fact that manufacturers have improved both the quality of their products and their customer service operations due to programs like BBB Auto Line. Fewer complaints is a positive thing,” he further stressed.

Moreover, satisfied users of the program have recommended the process to family and friends more than 80 percent of the time, according to an independent evaluation of the program required by and provided to the Federal Trade Commission each year.

Davis credits this success to the FTC for setting the right balance between consumers’ rights and the opportunity for businesses to resolve concerns before entering into a costly legal proceeding in its framework for warranty dispute resolution programs.

Auto manufacturers and importers providing BBB Auto Line services include Acura, AM General, Audi, Bentley, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC Truck, Honda, Hyundai, Indian Motorcycle, Infiniti, Isuzu, Kia, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Land Rover, Lotus, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan, Saab, Saturn and Volkswagen.

Many others participate on a state-by-state basis, officials noted.

For more information, see www.lemonlaw.bbb.org. Also, consumers can file complaints or obtain additional information by calling (800) 955-5100, or by visiting the programs website.