What is too much key weight in ignition?

My husband just bought me a preowned 2002 Accord EX V6, for which I am
extremely grateful. Being the outstanding Honda Sales Manager that he
is, he proceeded to detail the specs of the car. One particular point
he made was that I should not add my new Accord key and alarm control
to my leather key case, as that extra weight of the case would produce
damage to the ignition. I was incredulous as he asserted his fact.
I've been driving a '93 Suburban since '96 with said leather case
attached to ignition keys and have not replaced an ignition switch
yet.

Unbeknownst to him, I actually weighed my leather case, complete with
the few extra keys I carry, and found its total weight, without the
Honda key/alarm, to be 4 oz. Yes, that's 4 oz. Can anyone tell me if
this additional weight will indeed damage my ignition? I'd really
like an answer from a Honda engineer, but a really knowledgeable tech
will suffice.

As you can probably ascertain, I'd really prefer to carry my case with
my ignition key attached. Having to remember 2 sets of keys will be
annoying.

Regards,
Pamela

 

there have been reports of it, yes.

get a keychain, and take any extra keys off it.

 

+++++++++++++

Never believe the SALESMAN :-(

If you have an immobilizer, read what the manual says about huge
keyrings 'jamming' the signal and causing 'no-start' conditions.

Oh, did I mention? Don't believe the salesman (even if you're married to
him.




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Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
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Working in the locksmith field, I completely agree with your husband,
even if he is a salesman.

There are frequent cases of ignition cylinder damage due to too much
weight on the key chain. Also, as another member mentioned, with
immobilizers, the less metal near the ignition, the better.

Norm

 

As long as your hubby is working there, he can probably get a great
rate on the repair.

I had a '90 Integra with a bad ignition switch by 95,000 miles or
thereabouts. I drove it the first 65,000 with a "normal" keyring and
then gave it to my stepdaughter. Like any 16 year old, her keyring
weighed in at heavy-middleweight class. Killed the switch. $100
repair and would have needed a tow if the dealer hadn't clued me in on
a trick:

The car will probably start but the engine will die when you release
the key. Now, there used to be another reason for this (bad ballast
resistor) but in this case, it's the switch.

You have to start the car and then release the key just enough to
disengage the starter. Start driving to the dealer. Your thumb will
start hurting. A lot. Ignore it and keep driving, wishing you had
listened to the warnings.

JM

 

My 92 Civic still has original key switch. The keys consist of 1 Honda
key, 7 house and office keys, and 1 remote unit. The only problem I always
have is that the keys poke too much when they're in my pockets, so I
always carry by hand.

 

Depends on the vehicle. I know that with many Volvos they seem to wear out
ignition switches faster if people hang a heavy set of keys from them.

You would think that ignition switches should be designed with this issue in
mind, but maybe some are not.

I've no idea if this is a problem are on Hondas or not.

Ask some of the service guys. No offense intended, but often the sales
department does not have the best information in these matters .

John

 

Just weighed my key ring; a bit over 4oz.
No problems in my 2001 Accord LX4 yet.
As other posters have pointed out, this does not mean that there is _no_
risk of damaging the ignition switch.

 

I have never seen a Honda engineer post here. You should realize

1. The number of Honda engineers responsible for the ignition switch design is
tiny compared to the number of technicians who repair the ignition switches.

2. I suspect the Honda design engineers likely speak mostly Japanese and so are
not hanging at this particular internet forum. I guess the U.S. plants that
build Hondas have some English-speaking design engineers, but I doubt they are
involved in the original design or have at their fingertips the design specs of
the ignition switch. Of course, if someone knows different, do post...

3. Depending on the particular topic, technicians most certainly can be more
knowledgeable than engineers. The techs simply are exposed to a lot more by way
of operating and repair experience. The engineers don't generally repair but may
possibly ultimately get feedback on a part that fails a lot. Maybe not, as some
"normal wear" is an accepted reality of engineering. What I think you'd really
be interested in is something like "fatigue testing" of the ignition switch, as
at least the first several times you hang your key case etc. from the ignition,
things should be fine. But over time, wear will occur...

Trust the techs here and people with specific experience on this subject. I
write as an engineer with three engineering degrees, BS and higher, and a few
engineering licenses. I've known a few automotive engineers in my life in the
Detroit area. They are so specialized, and not in ignition switches, that I
doubt they'd have a clue as to what the "design weight" is for the ignition
switch.

The "Car Talk" guys get this question now and then. One or both are MIT
engineers with hands on experience. IIRC they say it's possible too much weight
will damage the ignition switch. Never heard them say how much.

I doubt you'll locate an exact answer but will be impressed if you do. For fun,
you could try calling Honda Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 5:00pm Pacific
Standard time at the toll-free phone number (800) 999-1009 and asking them to
give you the weight... (I took this info from the Honda web site.)

 

Hey! That's exactly what happened to my 90 Accord. Kept dying whenever I
released the key to the run position, finally figured out I could hold it
just below the start position. And yes, it did make an especially
interesting drive to the dealer. I even planned my route, picking
less-travelled roads. Of course that worked until, concentrating on holding
the key just right, I missed a turn and ended up having to make a three
point turn on a two lane road. While blocking both lanes, I managed to let
the key slip, killing the engine. Then I really panicked when it wouldn't
start up again!... Hazard lights on, just as traffic appears over the
hill... Then I realized, DUH, the car won't start in Drive. Back to Park,
start, and back on the road. Made it to the repair shop.

And then there was the fun of watching the mechanic figure out just how to
hold the key to drive it to the work area...

You know, I never considered that a lot of weight on the key ring might have
caused that. But it makes sense, seeing as I have uh... about twenty-six
keys on my key ring (most are for work). However, on my '02 Accord, I keep
them seperate, with only the remote entry on the same ring as the ignition.
And before you all laugh about the ridiculousness of so many keys, let me
mention one benefit. One day, I was at one of those stores where every 30
minutes or so they get on the P.A. and announce some sort of contest or
special sale. I got 15% off my purchases that day because I won the "Whoever
has the most keys on their key ring wins a prize!" contest.

-Eric

 

Get a keyring with a separate detachable ring - most auto dealerships
carry them. You can keep your new key on your ring, and detach the
rest of the keys when it's in the ignition.

Tracy