Al:
The car started okay for me, but as I drove it, all of the gauges went out again.
I have a young friend who is a Mercedes tech. He just started working at a dealership in January (first job). He took the car to work for me and told me it is an ignition switch. I also have to change the turn signal relay, the one in the picture.
I will get the car back tomorrow. He is doing the labor for free.
It appears to be a bad ignition switch.
Jimmy