Oxidation, the appearance of rust – yes, it’s true. Freon mixed with oil is not without reason, which should not only indicate the place of the leak, but also constantly lubricate the entire circuit. However, the most important thing in this case is the absorber. In fact, this is a tube filled with a compound similar to silica gel: it is designed to remove flag particles from the system and prevent the same corrosion. Where does moisture come from in a closed circuit? Condensation, as in a carburettor. There is no escaping him.
The absorber turns to stone “in the open air” in just a day. After it picks up H2O from all possible openings, it will stop passing gas, so even an extensive replacement of tubes and a new filling station will not change the situation. You need to “relieve” the pressure again, disassemble the circuit, replace the damaged element, then assemble and refuel. And this is provided that the compressor, clutch and everything else does not “rest” during the standstill.
Having determined that the air conditioner has stopped responding to the power button, you should check the pressure in the circuit as soon as possible – press the valve under the hood with a screwdriver: whistle or not. After that – listen to the moment when the compressor turns on with the clutch (should click), then – look at the fuses, sign up for repair. And the sooner the better. Because there is only one day for the budget recovery.
What is “budgetary”? For some popular car models, the absorber costs about 20,000 rubles. So the budget is without replacing it.