Gilly,

Thanks as always for the comments & wisdom! According to the tech, there is no high wattage risk to the AAM as both sets of extra lights are running through relays. The extra lights draw their power from the battery.

Re burshguard impact: Another tech said he’d seen “several” ML’s with the dealer installed burshguard come in after what he described as parking lot impacts where the center support for the burshguard went through the lower portion of the radiator.

My former burshguard, which was similar to the one above, except it had a center support, seemed pretty flimsy. I use a burshguard on the ML for 2 reasons: A) a support mechanism for the external lights and B) parking lot protection – primarily at the ski resort I frequent. Prior to getting the ML, my vehicles always suffered several hundred dollars worth of damage per season. Of course, since getting the ML, I bought a parking permit, so now I get first or second row parking, and the spaces are generally less crowded. That helps, too! Either way, the old burshguard would do nothing to lessen even trivial frontal impact.

Regards,

__________________
...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"