I am so tired of seeing this GM ignition recall on the news ...

**Shrek** · #1 03/12/14, 06:27 PM

...every day.

Yes GM should have taken simple recall action by sending every Cobalt owner a letter reminding them car key rings should never have more than 4 keys on them as dealership and private mechanics have always advised vehicle owners as more key ring weight than 4 keys worth has been known for over 60 years to overstress the locking positions and tumbler function of ignitions.

My 1980s era owner manuals even have a note reminding the operator to not overload the key ring.

What ever happened to common sense and the sense of personal responsibility?

I carry 12 keys, a knife, a firearm screwdriver, P38 can opener and mini flashlight on my key ring and girlfriend carries about the same amount of stuff plus some girlie trinkets on her keys.

I have a total of 9 split key rings on my spring loaded key carabiner and she has a larger key carabiner and about 15 or 20 split rings.

When we get in one of our vehicles we select the appropriate key ring with one to three keys on it and remove it from the carabiner, returning it after we take the key out of the ignition.

The only key rings that stay on our carabiners are our house or building lock keys as we are holding the added weight of the other stuff on our key rings while using those keys.

Its sad 12 people died and over 30 accidents are attributed to this key weight issue over the years and GM apparently no longer lists the key weight /ignition stress factor in the operator manual and did not send out some letters explaining the issue to its customers as has been done by diligent mechanics for decades, but whatever happened to simple common sense on the part of the vehicle operator?

When I got my first car the two keys to it were given to me on a two split ring slide tube push button key ring with the other key ring for my house keys and other key chain carried doodads.

#2 03/12/14, 06:46 PM

Never too old to learn I guess , I never heard of such a thing . Does this mean I should take my crescent wrenches & such off my key ring . By the way , I don't own any government motors vehicles .

plowjockey · #3 03/12/14, 07:27 PM

How about they just build an ignition switch, that is not junk? Keyed ignition switches only been around about 100 years.

I've owned many other makes, whose owners manuals, never stated "maximum key loading".

We have two newer Malibu models (03,05). Both ignitions feel cheap and switch problems in Malibu's are common.

I have had Japanese vehicles, who only problems came from the key actually being worn out - over many years. Find the reserve key and the switch works like new.

No excuses, for problems like these, other than shoddy design/workmanship, IMO.

**Shrek** · #4 03/12/14, 08:36 PM

Fact remains there are people driving today with absolutely no common sense in regards to the machine they are driving. Many now don't even take the time to read the owners manual regarding basic maintenance of their vehicle.

ROSEMAMA · #5 03/12/14, 09:17 PM

Thanks for the post, Shrek. I, too, have never heard of this before. Good to learn new things!

#6 03/12/14, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrek

Fact remains there are people driving today with absolutely no common sense in regards to the machine they are driving. Many now don't even take the time to read the owners manual regarding basic maintenance of their vehicle.

Very true but I have to agree with PJ on this one . How junky does an ignition switch have to be to be destroyed by the weight of 5 keys , one of them being inserted , for crying out loud . Do they get them from the dollar store ?

sammyd · #7 03/13/14, 12:04 AM

Their switches must be rather shoddy. I have had a key chain with several loops the can opener and a collection of keys since I can remember. Several cars over the years with 150000+ and no ignition switch problems.

Ozarks Tom · #8 03/13/14, 04:36 PM

I haven't needed a ignition key for my '88 Ford Bronco farm truck for 12 years. A mechanic offered to fix it for me, but I like it the way it is.

MO_cows · #9 03/13/14, 04:51 PM

I guess I didn't get that memo, either. I have had more than 4 keys on my key ring for many years. They have hung out of the ignition of every car I ever owned, guess what, they were all GM.

Wanda · #10 03/13/14, 05:32 PM

GM or no one else said there would be 100% failure if you overloaded the ignition.

mrs whodunit · #11 03/13/14, 06:15 PM

I have never heard of such a thing.

arabian knight · #12 03/13/14, 11:13 PM

and i 2001 they had notices about the switches and did not do a thing about it.
And now a report is coming out that 303 people have died because the airbags in GM vehicles did NOT deploy.
Boy this is a bad for GM no matter what your feelings about Government Motors. Oh Ya they not that anymore. Well the American tax Payers will never see any of that money they were owed now.

Darren · #13 03/13/14, 11:41 PM

The daughter of a local garage owner had a Cobalt. After the second encounter with a deer, which she survived, it was obvious that poor construction wasn't limited to the ignition switch. In comparison the deer that had a meet up with my decrepit 87 Chevy pickup last week only managed to break part of the grill, very slightly rearrange the bumper and adjust one head lamp. I did stop to check for leaking fluids. Other than that. It's good.

A Cobalt would have been in for some serious garage time. I realize the Cobalt is the result of insurance risk avoidance criteria that requires energy absorbing design. While the 87 wasn't designed that way, the 25+ year old design had the same effect ... on the deer which absorbed virtually all of the energy of the impact. Works for me.

okiemom · #14 03/14/14, 07:27 AM

Thanks for the heads up. I knew having a lot of keys could make the key starter switch go bad faster... but all that would happen would be a big bill. I have been accused of being a janitor with the amount of keys I have and the college id/wallet I have attached to the keys. I have never heard of it causing problems with wrecks etc.... I have Fords.

Harry Chickpea · #15 03/14/14, 04:07 PM

The switch may not be the only problem. We've had our 95 van for a while. I went out today and was turning left to park in a parking lot and it shut off on its own. With no power steering, I made it safely into the parking space next to the one I was aiming for, but it could have been different.

The last time I had a heavy keyring was in 1970 when I was working locked wards, so that ain't it. Today, after the ignition failure I jiggled the keys to try to duplicate the problem with no luck. Having just spend about $1700 in repairs a couple months ago - including a check out by a dealer, I don't think a "lack of personal responsibility" is a issue either.

I'm reminded that there was a stone cold sober young mother near here with every reason to live that somehow mysteriously drove into the path of a loaded logging truck midday in good weather and was killed instantly. This happened within a mile of where my ignition just cut out.

What comes to mind to me is computer malfunction or failure. It DOES happen - I had a Honda Accord that went through TWO computers. They failed in part because of south Florida heat and in part because they were idiotically bolted to the engine block, which naturally gets very hot. Both times those computers just shut down the engine - fortunately for me in situations I could get out of.

However, I'm also on the verge of considering looking for a broad spectrum radio receiver / scanner. There are other seemingly independent electronics related curiosities happening around here that don't make sense - especially since we are miles from transmitters or known sources of electronic pollution and these events are distinct and periodic.

Curiously, as my ignition failed a cop car blasted by in less that 2 seconds and turned on his flashers and siren. PM me if you want to see the video from the dash cam at the time.

#16 03/14/14, 05:20 PM

A new chevy ss pace car burst into flames in Daytona this spring . I was watching the race when it happened . Anyone else see this ? Plenty of stories if you goggle it .

ninny · #17 03/15/14, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrek

Fact remains there are people driving today with absolutely no common sense in regards to the machine they are driving. Many now don't even take the time to read the owners manual regarding basic maintenance of their vehicle.

People don't read owners Manuel's because they now look like a volume of the encyclopedia britannica and a large portion of that is legalese speak which means no one can understand it anyway. My first cars OM was about 10 pages long. Now they have everything up to and including how to properly install your child's car seat.

.

#18 03/17/14, 07:57 PM

On the news today , investigation into ignition switch recall .
Another GM recall for defective airbags .