Cause
Blocked intake duct or airbox
The airbox or the duct feeding it obstructed, so the engine cannot draw the air it needs. The obstruction is usually external and seasonal: leaves and debris packed into the cold air intake, snow, or a nest built while the vehicle stood.
The engine is throttled by the blockage rather than by the driver. Airflow falls short of what the module expects for the commanded throttle, so the codes name airflow while the fault is physical. Idle is normal and full load is not, because idle needs very little air. Look into the intake and the airbox before anything is measured — and a rodent nest is worth expecting on any vehicle that has stood, since the airbox is a favoured site and the material blocks the filter as well.
Typically an easy fix. Often worth checking before paying anyone to look.
Codes this can cause (1)
Codes where this is a likely explanation first, rather than merely a possible one.
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