I have been perusing the site and have learned an awful lot about these cars already. This is an awesome site and appears an invaluable resource to owners.

I have a few questions about the car... it's a 2000 ML 320 3.2 with 100K on the odometer and appears to have been cared for fairly well.

It has the optional, continually lit ABS, ESP, BAS warning lights which I find very useful for ensuring night blindness. Those Germans/Alabama folks think of everything! Aside from the average to embarrassing MPG ( my 2000 Excursion gets the same but I can tow small houses with it ) I already love this car! I feel like a spy from a James Bond film while driving it. It even has a machine gun style door locking mechanism in the passenger door, and a very helpful SRS, Airbag off indicator light that only illuminates when you have someone sitting in the front passenger seat (in case you forget.)
It's a beautiful car and I'm hoping to enjoy the AWD when weather conditions get nasty.

Where is the occupant sensor located in the front passenger seat, and anyone have any tips as to how to replace/repair it?

 

the passenger sear occupant sensor is part of the seat mat, based on the year you might be able to get it with out the leather so it would be cheaper. its not too hard to replace, you will have to remove the seat and take it apart. as for your abs lights try changing the abs pump relay, it could be a easy fix, but its more common that the whole pump/module assembly goes bad. also you will need to initialize your steering angel sensor. and for the machine gunning door lock, you will need to change the whole lock assembly.

 

The lights could be as simple as replacing brake pedal switch for $12 (if it was not done previously). First after starting it, try to reset the steering sensor by turning steering wheel lock to lock (all the way left to all the way right couple times) and they should go off, if not check the switch. It is about 10 minute job.
At 100K, if the spark plugs and front oxygen sensors are original, that will explain your poor gas mileage. You can trust me, I have enough miles on mine to know, then it will go back to normal (about 16 mpg city and 21 mpg hwy).
It will not haul small house but I have done few times 5 and 6,000 lbs. loads with my ML320, you could feel it there but it was fine.
It does excellent job in the deep snow and I use 6ft. wide hitch mount snow plow on it.
Machine gun sound goes good with it since you are driving a little tank that would take you almost anywhere (as long as you take care of it, as with any fine machinery).
Good luck ML-ing, Bernard

 

on the M Class how do you change the timing belt cover gasket. I hear the one of the books call it a 13 hour job. Can you go in through the grill?

 

Just recently purchased a 2006 ML500. The garage door opener and 12v. for phone chargers etc have stopped working. The orig. MB manual says see page 451 for fuse charts. My luck; no charts in book whatever and cannot find any online. I visually checked them all (3-fuse boxes total) and pulled the ones out to verify they were good. There are other closed rectangular fuses that are black and enclosed. I don't know how to check them. Can anyone please help. Can it be something other than a fuse?
Thank You,
Larry