Dear Gilly,

I have read with interest many of your helpful replies to the multitude of questions that all of us ML owners have, and now I myself have one for you:

I own a 2000 ML 320 with about 20,000 Miles on it and I suspect that the front headlamps are out of adjustment. Two reasons for this:

First, when driving down a dark street, there is very little light that shines more than about 2 car lengths in front of the car, and in general the headlights just look very "dim" when on low beam. My other car (the ML is my wife's) is a 2003 5 Series with Xenon lights and the difference in illumination area (not brightness) is astonishing. The ML has very little coverage area compared to the BMW.

Second, when I put the hood up and look at the top of each of the headlamp housings, there is a small level with a bubble in it and a bunch of little black lines, ranging from "up" to "O" and then "down". The bubble in each of the levels is as far forward (ie: towards the bumper) as they can go within the level, and are definitely not in the middle or "O" location. Seems to me if they were levelled correctly, then the bubble in each level would be in the middle, where the "O" is.

I have owned the car since it was new and to my knowledge it has never had the headlamps adjusted since I purchased it.

What are your thoughts ?

Thank you in advance,
Hans from Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Home of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games