Finally, this issue was recently fixed...

If you have the same symptoms, a faulty ignition switch caused all these malfunctions.

I allowed the MB tech to use the ML for his personal transportation for an unrelated issue, and he diagnosed this electrical issue properly, better late...

On the subject, and hoping someone can benefit from this, the ML was in for another problem when this was fixed. It would jolt when shifting in R or D, and while driving, all five lights on the left of the cluster, plus the red brake light on the right would come on, at the same time (including the beeping), the transmission would stop shifting. If it happened from a stop, you'd be stuck in 1st gear, if it happened while driving, stuck in whichever gear it was in at the time of failure.

The transmission's computer was changed, but still the same failure occurred on my way home from picking the ML. Finally, a bad ESP module replaced fixed the issue.

Hope this helps someone, somewhere, and saves them the headaches of going back and forth to the dealership.

I'll get P/N when I get a chance to review the work order.