| A car’s ignition switch has multipurpose utility. | | | | circumference. A gear associated with the starter |
| As its name implies, the first and foremost | | | | system engages the teeth of the flywheel when |
| function is to engage the ignition system of the | | | | the ignition switch is turned ON, thus bringing the |
| car, or to start the car from a dead state. | | | | flywheel into life briefly with a huge momentum |
| Secondly, it can provide access to various | | | | transfer, which starts up the engine. |
| features or accessories of the car, like the stereo | | | | The typical ignition system has four configurations, |
| system, the radio, the windshield wiper, the | | | | Off, Accessories, On, and Start. In some cars |
| headlights, brake oil levels, gasoline levels, | | | | there are two dead states of the key, Off and |
| dashboard backlight etc. The ignition switch can | | | | Lock; OFF switches off the car, while the Lock |
| also be used to control the bonnet of a car. | | | | configuration lets you remove the key from the |
| While in some cars the electronic switch which | | | | ignition cylinder’s keyhole. In the accessories |
| actually switches on the rest on the system | | | | configuration, certain accessories as mentioned |
| depending on the feedback from the ignition lock | | | | earlier that remain off in the OFF and LOCK |
| cylinder are integrated into a single unit, in other | | | | configurations in order to prevent the car's |
| cars they can be separated from each other. | | | | battery from being drained, use up very low |
| Based on this variation, the term ignition switch | | | | power. People are often advised to use the |
| can be used without a doubt for both the | | | | Accessories position often for a longer car |
| electronic switch and the ignition lock cylinder. The | | | | battery life. |
| distinction is quite difficult to adjudge since both | | | | Since features such as the indicator for fuel and |
| types of systems are found in abundance. | | | | brake oil levels are turned on only when the |
| Even in the absence of ignition switches, cars did | | | | ignition switch is in the ON state, since they are |
| exist! The cars’ engines then used to be | | | | useful when the car is running. Since the start |
| started or ignited by mechanically turning a crank, | | | | position is meant only to jump start the car |
| whose associated shaft used to turn the engine, | | | | engine, the key is not allowed to remain in the |
| moving it out of its inertia. In the present times, a | | | | start position for long, and is turned automatically |
| flywheel associated with the car’s engine is | | | | to the ON position by spring action. When the |
| brought into action through an electric relay | | | | switch changes its configuration from Start to ON, |
| system activated by the ignition switch, ultimately | | | | the starter system is cut off from battery |
| starting up the engine. The flywheel is a large, | | | | power, and the car’s engine starts running by |
| flattened disc which has teeth on the outer | | | | a relay through the flywheel. |