Like Doc said look at the current draw. It should be about 3amps. Bad coils are a very common problem on Hondas with similar Nippondenso compressors. I do not know why MB's don't seem to have the general problem. They do have the problem occasionally and the draws I have measured are in the neighborhood of 10amps.

The coils or all of the clutch can be replaced separately. The coil is the last item off the front of the compressor. MB sells rebuilt clutches complete for a reasonable price. The problem is getting the right pieces. There were a couple different versions of the 10p Nippondenso compressor used. They are easily replaced in total by a current version but getting repair parts requires getting the right component for a right component. If the compressor is a aftermarket rebuilt there are all kinds of different individual pieces and the old pieces may not be acceptable as cores.

If you compressor is a virgin a rebuilt clutch exchanged as a whole is the way to go.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician