Diesel911 makes a good point about the fuses. Most people here feel that fuses with copper/brass elements are superior to aluminum but in any case, the fuse must have clean, non-corroded ends to work properly. Sometimes the contacts in the fusebox also corrode. In an emergency (no spares?) you can gently sand the ends of the fuses but the best way is replacement with new fuses.

A voltmeter does not always give non-ambiguous results. The fuse may be corroded or partially broken so that only a small area makes contact, enough to look good to a voltmeter but not enough to pass the amount of current needed by a power window, a blower, or a large light bulb.

Although your favorite dealer charges an arm and a leg for fuses, they are only a few cents apiece if you get them from online suppliers such as FastLane (click the "Buy Parts" link at the top of this page). If your fuses are old, it wouldn't hurt to replace all of them with brand-new ones.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .343,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 148,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 177,300 (2026 projected)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 668,300
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970