Too Many Keys Can Damage Your Car's Ignition

Are you someone who loads up your key ring with lots of keys and doodads? I never thought about this until my ignition wouldn't start one day. The repair bill was $250. According to Tony Leonardi, owner of Leonardi Automotive, a Diamond Certified company, I got off easy. Some ignition jobs can cost up to $900, and it's not an uncommon repair. The age of the vehicle is not a factor. In fact, the problem is worse in some of the new cars.

Mr. Leonardi says the keys swing with the weight of the dangling objects. This wears down the whole ignition assembly. With enough wear, you end up with a car that won't start, or one you can't turn off! To avoid this, don't hang everything on one key ring. Or use a quick-release ring, which allows you to separate the remote and the key you drive with from all the others.