Having too many keys, flashlights, gadgets on the keychain can indeed damage the ignition switch. It isn’t just the dead weight pulling the key down. Watch it as you drive. All the stuff is swinging back and forth as you turn corners, go over bumps, etc. This leverages the key in the lock, which over time can cause the metal parts to deform and the ignition switch to fail. The result? The car will not start one day. And likely it will be an inopportune day for the car not to start, like you are late for work, or in the middle of a downpour.
Besides concerns about getting stranded, another incentive to keeping the weight of the keychain minimized is to consider what it would cost to replace the ignition switch. Ask your mechanic next time. He might have to replace other locks besides the ignition lock, if you want a single key to work in all the locks. So ask him: What’s the total in dollars and cents to replace the ignition switch?
hmmm … what do you think Melissa? Maybe like Tom and Ray say, you really don’t have to have all that stuff on the keychain? …