Cause
Corroded condenser
The air conditioning condenser corroded through, leaking refrigerant. It sits at the very front of the vehicle, taking road salt, spray and stone impact for its whole life, which makes it the commonest single leak point in the system.
Corrosion works from the outside in and is usually visible as white powdery aluminium oxide around the tubes and fins, often worst at the bottom edge where salt and water collect. Low charge means the module refuses to run the compressor, so the complaint is air conditioning that has stopped rather than one cooling badly. Rinsing the condenser periodically genuinely extends its life, which is worth telling an owner. Replace the drier at the same time, since a system opened to atmosphere saturates its desiccant.
Typically a moderate job.
Codes this can cause (1)
Codes where this is a likely explanation first, rather than merely a possible one.
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