Exterior temp off the chart, a/c not cooling

[Bruce Wayne]

Would a dysfunctional outside temp sensor cause an erroneous temp reading and make the climate control act this way?

shouldn't do.. in cold and miserable UK my AC can really chill the interior down.

a common issue on the box (and 996's) is that leaves and dirt collect in the passenger side intake in the corner of the rad and condensor and keeps moisture and damp in there where it rots the rads and condensors from the outside. when i took my bumper off mine (and our other 986) there was a carrier bag full of debris in each. as part of of routine maintenance i drop the bumper every year and clean it out. also after replacing the rads and condensors i've treated the corners to clear wax.

if the a/c is not holding pressure, that is the first place to look