Don’t Put Too Many Keys on Your Keychain for Car Keys

The humble keychain is a bit of an underappreciated organizational tool, keeping your beloved keys together and not scattered around your house or purse. If you’re carrying around a keychain, more likely than not, you’ve also got more than one key hooked on it.

Unfortunately, if your keychain and keys are on the heavier side and one of those keys is your car key, you might be putting your car’s ignition at risk.

The Risks of Encumbered Car Keychains

When you have too many keys on your car keychain, you increase the risk of damaging the components inside your vehicle’s ignition cylinder. The cylinder wasn’t designed to carry much weight, and a heavy key ring will only put stress on it as you drive. Bumps on the road, sharp turns, or even the natural movement from driving can jostle or sway the heavy keychain attached to your ignition, leading to damage over time.

How To Avoid Damage From a Heavy Car Keychain

Because a heavy keychain can damage an ignition cylinder, it’s best to reduce the number of keys on your car keychain when possible. Try to attach only four to eight keys.

If you really need to carry a lot of keys and don’t want to carry two separate keychains with you, you might want to consider buying a keychain with an easy-to-open latch. That way, you can separate your keys to ignition before starting your vehicle.

Replacement Ignition Switch Cost

If your ignition cylinder is already damaged, you’ll want to repair or replace it as soon as you can. Otherwise, your vehicle might show symptoms like refusing to start, beginning to stall, or its accessories and lighting only working intermittently.  A replacement ignition switch can cost between $10 and $600 depending on your vehicle’s make and model. The price range for a replacement ignition lock cylinder is around the same.