The Cool Air Rebate (CAR) Program, which launched last year as a pilot in Fresno, now covers up to 90 percent of eligible repair costs—up from 80 percent previously—for fixing leaking R-134a refrigerant in vehicle air conditioning systems. The changes, announced Monday at an event in Riverside, also include expanded income eligibility and a month-long offer of free diagnostic testing at participating repair shops across the state.
“These updates are about far more than comfort,” said Nathan Perrine, Executive Director of the Car Care Council, which manages the program. “They are about equity, health, and climate. For low-income families, a functioning A/C can be the difference between safety and danger in extreme heat.”
Under the new rules, the program is now open to households earning up to 225 percent of the federal poverty level, a threshold that significantly broadens the pool of eligible Californians. The changes take effect July 1 and are permanent, though the free diagnostic testing is only available through the end of July.
Most household who qualify for Medi-Cal or SNAP qualify for the program.
The stakes are high. According to the American Lung Association’s 2025 State of the Air, several California cities—among them Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and Fresno—are again ranked among the worst in the nation for ozone pollution. Vehicle refrigerants like R-134a contribute heavily to this problem, with a global warming potential 1,400 times greater than carbon dioxide. The CAR Program aims to reduce emissions of this potent greenhouse gas while providing tangible relief to vulnerable communities.
Since its inception in July 2024, the CAR Program has helped repair over 1,000 vehicles and delivered nearly $1.2 million in subsidies to more than 225 certified repair shops. Over 110 cities across California now offer the program, which is funded by unclaimed deposits on cans of R-134a sold in the state—authorized for use by the California Air Resources Board last year.
For many Californians, the program has been life-changing.
Tara S., a Rancho Cucamonga resident, relied on the program last month after spending two years without a working car A/C while caring for her elderly mother, who has Alzheimer’s and is highly sensitive to heat. “It was the longest two years of my life,” she said. “My car’s A/C works better than ever now. I’m so grateful.”
At CSAI Auto Service in Riverside, where the announcement was made, owner Patricia Summers has seen firsthand how impactful the program can be. “We see families every day who put off repairs because they just can’t afford them,” she said. “Being part of the CAR Program means we can say ‘yes’ to more people.”
The state is also enlisting a network of 240 community organizations to spread the word. One standout partner is Casa Blanca Home of Neighborly Service, a Riverside-based nonprofit that has served the community for over 50 years. “This program just keeps getting better,” said Gerardo Puluido, praising the enhanced financial support and broadened eligibility.
With California facing longer, hotter summers and worsening air quality, state officials hope the expanded Cool Air Rebate Program will offer a model for other states looking to address the overlapping crises of climate, health, and equity—one repair at a time.
The Cool Air Rebate Program, a state-backed initiative aimed at both climate protection and public health, provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to repair leaking air conditioning systems in older vehicles—specifically those manufactured between 1993 and 2019. The program covers up to 90 percent of the cost to remove and replace R-134a, a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential roughly 1,400 times greater than carbon dioxide.
Financing for the program comes from an innovative source: unclaimed consumer deposits on R-134a refrigerant cans sold in California. The effort is jointly administered by the Car Care Council in partnership with the California Air Resources Board, aligning environmental regulation with equitable access to vehicle maintenance and heat safety.
For more information on the Cool Air Rebate Program and to find a participating auto repair shop, visit www.coolairrebate.org.