Does your car key get very hot?

United States
March 21, 2008 8:24pm CST
I have a 2004 Aveo that I just bought about six weeks ago and the key gets very hot, especially after driving for a long time. But, sometimes it'll get hot after 10 minutes or so of driving. I wouldn't say it got blazing hot, but uncomfortably hot. The rest of the steering column and lock don't seem to get hot at all. I have an alarm and I thought I had a transponder, but I don't know. Do you have a car that gets a hot key? Has anyone ever got this fixed and was it expensive?
2 responses
Dr. Ann
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
22 Mar 08
Never, but I had one where the ignition caught fire one day. Yes, I put the key in and turned it and smoke started coming out from around the steering wheel. I called AAA and had it towed to the repair shop. Other than that it was a good car and except for one valve job needed nothing more than preventative maintenance. I drove it 12 years before getting a replacement. I'm keen on hearing what experts here have to say, but I'd be a little concerned about a hot key. Maybe there is a short in the wiring. I've heard of that happening on Hondas.
1 person likes this
desertdarlene
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
22 Mar 08
Yeah, I keep wondering if there's a short, but the dealer doesn't seem to find a problem. I will keep asking about it until I get some kind of estimate. But, it's only the key that gets hot (along with the CD player when I use it for a long time). Nothing else around there gets hot at all. And, I'm not the only ones who has this problem.
shakeroo
@shakeroo (3986)
• Malaysia
22 Mar 08
I do not have an Aveo but my car key has never got hot before. I think you should bring the car to a service center for a checkup. It could be something wrong somewhere that causes the key to get hot.
1 person likes this
desertdarlene
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
22 Mar 08
I've already taken it in, but no one seems to find a problem. They said they can't do anything unless the key gets burning hot. I think the next time I go, I will say that it's pretty much burning hot, though it's not. Since it's isolated to just the key and not the rest of the electronics in the area, I'm mostly worried about it getting stuck in the ignition because that would be pretty expensive. At least, then, someone would acknowledge that there would be a problem.