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...place a quality part costing a few pennies more ...

1. Two things: This is the way every single part of the car is designed. The pennies add up. It’s how they make money and don’t go the way of Studebaker.
2. I don’t think it would have cost more. I think they went with a spring that was, in hindsight, too weak to keep the consumer experience good - so the ignition was not too strongly in position.

But the bottom line is that many parts of a car are a potential weak point, and what I notice is not how many were killed, but how many used the exact same part, over and over, and DID NOT have the same problem.

I really do see this as a witch hunt, like the Toyota sticking throttle.

>>I really do see this as a witch hunt, like the Toyota sticking throttle.<<

Pennies do add up, but just as a recent multi-million dollar field failure in my industry....it was mandated to use a cheaper component rated for a lower thermal threshold...it failed...it failed to the tune of millions. For the penny we’d saved on the higher threshold, the company could have avoided recalls, customer loyalty and future orders. Just sayin.

As far as the Toyota sticking throttle. I actually witnessed a Toyota failure. The vehicle was totally out of control. Luckily, the driver was able to vear the vehile away from traffic. Taking out communication boxes and other obsticles, he finally got the vehicle to come to a halt. Pretty dangerous. Just think if the failure was to occur in a school zone with kiddos crossin the street. Witch hunt? Maybe, but there are a thousand scenarios that could cost life and limb.

A few pennies could make all the difference in the world...in many cases. My motto...do it right the first time and you won’t have to face the consequences.