BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Nathan Perrine, the executive director of the Car Care Council, says the Cool Air Rebate Program, or CAR Program, hit the roads last July in Fresno before branching statewide this May, covering up to 90% of repair costs for vehicle air conditioning leaks for eligible drivers.
“The Cool Air Rebate Program is a financial assistance program for low-income Californians to help them get their leaking vehicle air conditioning systems repaired,” said Perrine.
Since the initial launch, the CAR program has paid for more than $1.85 million in environmental enhancing vehicle repairs, and repaired at least 1,617 leaking AC systems.
Dakotah Massie, the general manager of McWilliams & Walden Inc., one of the participating auto repair shops, said, “I see people all the time driving around with their windows down. It’s 100º outside. I’m like, I wish I could just stop and be like, ‘hey, there’s this program you can get!’”
He says since the program has gained traction, they’re repairing about five vehicles a week; and their shop takes this a step further.
“You’re normally responsible for the 10% of that, but we waive that, so you have no obligation here to bring it in, get your car looked at, and at least know it’s something covered, it’s something not covered,” said Massie.
So now you may be thinking, okay, what’s the catch?
Well, there’s not exactly a catch, but there are requirements.
To start, the program will only cover leaking R134A refrigerants, which you can check by popping open the hood of your car.
“The R134A refrigerant that’s used in most vehicles on the road contains a chemical, a greenhouse gas, that's 14 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere,” said Perrine. “So getting these leaking systems repaired, these air conditioning systems repaired, has an air quality benefit for everyone in the state.”
The CAR Program covers up to $1,500 per vehicle, but Perrine says that most repairs fall under this cap.
There is also income eligibility, depending on the amount of people in your household.
According to the CAR Program website, if you or your family are enrolled in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWorks, or California Healthy Families, you are automatically prequalified.
To see if you prequalify and what repair shops participate in the CAR Program, visit the Cool Air Rebate website linked here.
The application is available in both English and Spanish.
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