Around the Industry: FTC Approves Final Consent Order Against BMW of North America
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order against BMW of North America LLC, whose MINI division allegedly violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act by telling consumers BMW would void their warranty unless they used MINI parts and MINI dealers to perform maintenance and repair work.In March 2015, BMW agreed to settle FTC charges through its MINI division. It violated a Warranty Act provision that prohibits companies from requiring consumers — in order to maintain their warranties — to use specific brands of parts or specified service centers unless the part or service is