Odds are, someone in life has told you that your bulky keys are bad for your vehicle. The truth is that heavy sets of keys can cause serious damage to your car and other aspects of your life. The most evident threat bulky keys pose to vehicles comes from a recall that affected over 1.6 million vehicles. The recall mentioned that the weight of overloaded key rings would cause such significant engine damage that it would disable the airbags and disrupt driving, causing wrecks.
Now, hefty keys can be an issue, but the most common threat they pose is that they cause wear and tear on your vehicle over time. The problems that can come from heavy keys range from a worn ignition switch to major engine issues. That leaves the question of what belongs on your key rings, what other issues weighty keys can cause, and how you avoid problems in the future.
Avoid Having Too Many Keys To Your Car
The average person has a key for their home, their workplace, a gym locker key, car key, maybe a mail key, and more on their key ring. In addition to keys, many people keep trinkets on their key rings like flashlights, bottle openers, pocket knives, and more. All of that to say, our key rings are stuffed with an excesses of handy items we use regularly.
It might feel like you need all your keys in one place, but it’s best to keep additional keys and gadgets on a separate key ring. Yes, you now have to keep track of a new key ring, but it’s a habit that will save you money in the long run. If you’re concerned that you might lock your keys in your car now, we offer duplication services and car unlocking. Making an extra set of keys or having Pop-A-Lock on speed dial in case of an emergency is a great way to avoid any problems!
How Can Weighty Keys Damage Your Car?
The general rule of thumb for deciphering how many keys is too many keys is that six keys are usually the limit. When talking about putting stress on your ignition switch and engine, it’s always best to use extreme caution. The excessive weight of more than six keys causes a downward pull on the ignition switch – this wears the system out prematurely and eventually leads to other issues. While your vehicle endures added stress, your keys can also take the brunt of the stress – too much weight can wear them out just as quickly as your ignition switch.
For your main key ring, it’s wisest to keep only the most essential keys on it, like your home, car, and office key. You can place additional keys on a different key ring and use them only when needed. For women, it’s easy to keep that extra set in your purse, while for men, the best option might be to keep it in your gym bag or briefcase.
Pop-A-Lock Can Help You Avoid a Damaged Vehicle
The best news of all of this is that this issue is simple to fix. You can easily get a secondary key ring for your additional keys and practice keeping them in a safe spot for easy access. Another handy tip is to make a duplicate key for your ignition – so it doesn’t get weighed down with anything extra. The experts at Pop-A-Lock are the key duplicating pros! We can also replicate smart keys – this is the best option considering it eliminates the issue of hefty keyrings. If your car is compatible with smart keys, we can happily help!
As always, Pop-A-Lock is here to help in every way! If you require car unlocking services, duplicating the additional keys that would usually end up on your key ring, or if your weighty set of keys got stuck in your ignition – we are here for you! Visit our website to make an appointment with one of our technicians.
