Chuck,
Sorry for delayed reply...been traveling since Thursday.

I don't know if any changes have been made to the replacement switch design.

If you don't want to implement the bypass, you can still prolong the life of the replacement switch by turning off all your accessory loads (Blower motor and A/C off, radio off, seat heater and rear defroster off) before starting or shutting the car off. This minimizes arcing by limiting the current levels when the contacts open or close.