You probably remember the exact moment you were handed the key to your first car. Suddenly, your favorite haunts felt more accessible, and your daily commute became a lot easier. Your car-less friends looked at you with newfound respect, and you knew you were going to take really good care of that car. But what if you were shortening the life of your car without even realizing it, and the culprit was your key ring? According to experts, loading too many keys onto the same ring as your ignition key can actually strain your vehicle’s ignition system over time, potentially causing damage and compromising your safety!

To get the details, Reader’s Digest spoke to a car owner who learned this the hard way and a car expert who can explain what’s going on. Keep reading to find out why you shouldn’t add too many keys to your ignition key, what could happen if you ignore that advice and how many keys is too many.

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The problem with too many keys

As counterintuitive as it may seem, the keys on your key ring have a real effect on your car’s ignition. “Too many keys on your key ring can damage the sensitive interior components of your ignition cylinder,” explains Jake McKenzie, lead content analyst at Genuine Parts Company, which an automotive part distributor. “Your ignition cylinder really wasn’t engineered to hold much weight on it. When you hang a heavy keyring from your ignition, every bump and turn and vibration will slowly but surely wear down the delicate inner elements.” 

Why You Should Never Add Too Many Keys To Your Car Keychain Gettyimages 1972010160PROSTOCK-STUDIO/GETTY IMAGES

Wearing down the ignition cylinder could ultimately lead to intermittent starting problems or other major safety issues. Lauren Milligan saw this firsthand. “My husband, years ago, had probably three dozen keys on his ring,” she says. “The weight shifted around the ignition so badly that while he was driving, he could pull the key out of the ignition and continue to drive. Before that happened, my husband’s mechanic warned him plenty of times about how his key ring was too heavy.” Yikes! 

So it’s not the keys themselves that are the problem—it’s the weight of the keys hanging from the ignition that’s the issue. 

The right number of keys

While there is no professional consensus on how many keys are too many, most experts agree that five or six keys should really be the max. An even better option is to have your ignition key on its own key ring to completely reduce the weight pressing down on the ignition. While this may seem like a small thing, it can end up creating costly (both financial and safety) repercussions. So ditch the heavy key ring and travel light—your car ignition will thank you.

​​FAQs

Can a heavy keychain affect newer cars with push-button start?

For cars with push-button start systems, a heavy keychain is not a problem. However, attaching multiple key fobs to a single key ring can still cause problems. The radio frequencies from multiple fobs can interfere with one another, disrupting the signal between the fob and the car. 

What are the signs that my ignition is wearing out?

Difficulty turning the key, the key sticking in the ignition, the engine not cranking, the engine starting and then stalling, and the engine stalling unexpectedly while driving can all be signs of ignition wear.

About the expert

  • Jake McKenzie is the lead content analyst for Genuine Parts Company, an automotive accessories company. He has been researching and writing about automotive industry news and trends for over a decade. His expert commentary on the automotive industry has made its way into publications such as Forbes, MSN and HuffPost, among others.

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Sources:

  • Patch: “Automotive Fact or Fiction? Can Too Many Keys Cause Intermittent Starting Problems?”
  • Jake McKenzie, lead content analyst for Genuine Parts Company
  • Lauren Milligan, whose household car experienced an ignition issue due to too many keys on a key ring 
  • AutoZone: “Symptoms of a failing ignition switch”
  • Mighty Auto Parts: “Electrical Interference: Diagnosing Radio Frequency Interference Symptoms”