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Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 21:50:50 -0400
From: "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com>
Subject: Re: Warning about sticking ignition switches in some models


I remain very skeptical about the safety argument. If there really were many people who sustained serious injuries from ignition keys on steering columns, then other manufacturers would have followed the Saab practice. In the last 20-30 years, safety has become a much higher priority for manufacturers, and they have fallen all over themselves to adopt innovations in this area, even if these innovations are costly. Yet no major manufacturer has followed Saab. And apparently, to judge from the message that started off this thread, there are significant safety problems associated with having the key in its present location in Saabs. I think you're right, Silas, in concluding that it's a marketing tool. It's like the Rolls Royce radiator grill, which presumably creates major aerodynamic problems, but is the main distinguishing feature of the vehicle. However, so far as I know, there are no major safety or other problems associated with the RR radiator grill. To me, the positioning of the ignition key in Saabs is indicative of an attitude on the part of Saab engineers -- and customers too, to judge from some of the reactions in this news group. Silas Denyer wrote: > > "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> wrote in message > news:3D871064.52E1nopsams.com... > > I've heard the safety argument before, but I'm very skeptical. If that > > is recognized to be a safer place for the ignition switch, why does no > > other manufacturer put it there? > > In a word, cost. Even Saab themselves ditched it for a while on the 9000. > > AFAIK, when the NG900 was being designed under GM, GM tried very hard to > dissuade Saab from doing this on the basis of having to design a lock > mechanism specifically for the 900, as opposed to using a "standard" > parts-bin component. Given how little cash Saab had then, this was not done > just "because it had always been done". > > Additional points to the ones already made as to why this is a good idea: > > 1. Malfunctioning locking mechanism cannot lock steering whilst driving > (this really does happen, although much less than it used to - think of the > vibration sent through the steering column and the consequent wear to the > mechanism) > 2. Harder for thieves to overcome (many steering locks can be snapped by the > simple expedient of threading a metal bar through the steering wheel to > increase leverage and so - very easily - shear off the locking pin) > 3. Guaranteed security and failsafe braking: up until the latest 9-3 you had > to engage reverse gear in order to remove the key; that way you always had a > fall-back position if the parking brake failed, and always had to engage the > security lock > 4. Noise: who wants their bunch of keys waving around in the wind and > rattling rather than nestling safely in the console? > > The general ergonomics point has been touched upon, but the parking brake - > seat belt - ignition argument is slightly over-simplistic. On a properly > set-up car (which, sadly, means left hand drive, since right hand drive > cars - except Japanese ones - have the stalks the wrong way round), the left > hand (for LHD) should always be on the wheel, whilst the right hand should > be the "control" hand, manipulating gears, wipers, heater, audio, etc. The > Saab approach keeps that logic intact, whereas most other approaches do not. > > In terms of general ergonomics, however, GM seem to have ruined the concept. > In a "proper" 900 if you drop your arm it naturally hovers around the key, > and the angle of the key is appropriate to the angle of the wrist. On the > newer cars, however, the centre console is raised and the angle of the key > makes it downright uncomfortable to use, not to mention its relative > vulnerability. Frankly I think it is now just a marketing tool, and one that > hasn't been troubled by the attentions of the sort of rigorous thinkers who > made Saab famous in the first place. > > Anyhow, just my two pen'north. > > Silas

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