1988 260E W124/M103 motor. Pulled off the cap of the main relay box (firewall on driver side) and noticed two 16 amp (red) fuses all by themselves, in front of the 4 aluminum cube relays that live back there. I don't see any references to these 2 fuses in either the owner's manual or the FSM. Fuse chart in the main fuse box doesn't ID those 2 in the relay box. What circuits are they for?

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1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

Sounds like the power window fuses.

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
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MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

No, the window lifts are on fuses G and H, both located in the main fuse box. What I'm referring to are 2 fuses located in the relay box, behind the fuse box. They're back there along with the 4 aluminum cube relays, the black relay for blinker, etc and the black relay for lamp control. It's almost as though some electrical consumer was added and they needed a place to install a couple of fuses for it, but the car is bone stock.

__________________
1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

On a 107 of the same time period, there are two red fuses in an auxiliary box under the hood. They are for the alarm system. Sounds like yours could be the same but located differently.

Thanks Rocky. I think you're right. Further research in the FSM turned up a number of auxiliary fuse holders that I didn't know about, including one for theft alarm that appears to contain 2 fuses. The FSM component location guide indicates that fuse holder is in "position E" behind the main fuse box.

__________________
1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

Sounds right to me. My 87 does not have it and neither do I have an alarm. I believe 88 was the year the alarm was introduced.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
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2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

The alarm was standard in '86-on (all US 124s).

Do you have heated seats? My '94/'95 cars have extra fuses for the heated seats IIRC.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

No heated seats. From the FSM, I have confirmed that the fuses are part of the theft alarm circuit. Took the time to do thorough search of FSM to ID all of the little critters that live in the back part of the main fuse/relay box. See photo. Thanks everyone.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't