Subject to subsection (b) of this section and except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, in addition to any other right to request a hearing under this subtitle and notwithstanding any provisions of the franchise agreement to the contrary, a dealer, designated dealer successor as provided in § 15–211.1 of this subtitle, dealer association on behalf of itself, a dealer, or a group of dealers, manufacturer, manufacturer association on behalf of itself, a manufacturer, or a group of manufacturers, distributor, or factory branch may request a hearing under Title 12, Subtitle 2 of this article to: Resolve a dispute under any provision of this title between a dealer, a designated dealer successor, or a dealer association and a manufacturer, manufacturer association, distributor, or factory branch; or Seek clarification or interpretation of any provision of this title. A dealer association may request a hearing under subsection (a)(1) of this section only if: At least one member of the dealer association has a dispute under any provision of this title with a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch; The interests that the dealer association seeks to protect are germane to the purpose of the dealer association; and The claim asserted and the relief requested do not require the participation of each of the individual members. Subsection (a)(1) of this section does not apply to a dispute involving a manufacturer, distributor, or factory branch that does not have at least one franchised dealer in this State.