Ouch! Keep shocking myself

[JeremiahM]

After I turn the car on, and sit in it for awhile, and I get out of the car, I get a small shock. This happens with my radio off, lights off, nothing running except the engine. I usually get shocked by the door, but thats all I touch when i get out of the car. Someone help me!

JeremiahM

 

[dave99gst]

ya mean a stock like from static electricity ?

 

[spoolup]

could just be ESD. To rule it out. Keep contant contact of some piece of grounded metal in your car. then move around and wiggle your feet on the carpet to try and build a charge. Then touch the door. SHOULD NOT GET A SHOCK since you were grounded during all the above movements. Then try the exact same thing NOT holding on to a piece of metal. If you get shocked then something you wear is more acceptable to building a charge. My BKE boots build a greater charge than my Doc Martins. At work I have to wear ESD footware, (either A special boots or heel straps) a blue ESD lab coat/ smock, and a wrist strap to prevent this when working on sensitve circuits.

Good reference http://www.esda.org/esd_fundamentals.html

 

[CanadianTSi]

This is why you don't get in and out of your car when you refill it.

 

[bane3d]

Reply, most likely it is your tires. If you were listening to Car talk on Sunday, another guy had this problem and they said that it is do to some tires don't ground the vehicle properly and cause the driver to shock themselves each time they close the door of their car. If you just got new tires, take them back and complain about them. You can buy a grounding strap for this but it will eventually wear out. Here is an example of one of their discussions. http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1996/May/12.html

d

 

[DGajre777]

I get shocked/sparked everytime I drive my wife's Hyundai Tucson, but only when I'm wearing my work pants. If I wear jeans it doesn't happen. But the strange thing is that it only happens in her car. I have never get sparked by ESD in my Talon regardless of what I'm wearing.

 

[MrBoxx]

I get shocked/sparked everytime I drive my wife's Hyundai Tucson, but only when I'm wearing my work pants. If I wear jeans it doesn't happen. But the strange thing is that it only happens in her car. I have never get sparked by ESD in my Talon regardless of what I'm wearing.

Same thing for my wife's Toyota Corolla. It just started this winter, so I'm sure it's just the lack of humidity. But I never get a shock from my Eclipse. Maybe the difference between cloth and leather seats?

 

[c5chris]

It's all about humidity, guys. I get shocked more on summer or a really dry day (RH<30%) than in the winter time. Our cars are made up of metal (as oppsed to composites/fiberglass) and it does not help that we have carpet that constantly rubs our soles as we shift and move around.

One way to remedy the situation is to place a plastic mat on top of the carpet. No rubbing fibers = less build up static electricity.

 

[c5chris]

Same thing for my wife's Toyota Corolla. It just started this winter, so I'm sure it's just the lack of humidity. But I never get a shock from my Eclipse. Maybe the difference between cloth and leather seats?

There's a clue right there. No fibers on leather that cause static charges. If you have cloth interior, it will always cause static. This can be fixed by a smoother surface, such as a neoprene seat cover.

 

[DGajre777]

There's a clue right there. No fibers on leather that cause static charges. If you have cloth interior, it will always cause static. This can be fixed by a smoother surface, such as a neoprene seat cover.

Yeah but my Talon and my wife's Tucson both have cloth seats, it think it is the material it is made of.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

Being old, back in the 70-s there used to be those little tails that hung down from the bumper of the "cool" cars.

Seems they never corrected that little problem. And I hate it also. Mine knocks the daylights out of me every day. I guess a rubber glove would help huh?

At least it's not the spark plug wires shocking you through your rubber handled needle nosed pliers.


Good Luck

 

[joe777brown]

I get shocked everytime I get out of my car. One night I saw the arc and it lit up my whole hand. I've gotten used to it.

 

[Defiant]

Someone call Mythbusters.

"some tires don't ground the vehicle properly."

I guess some kinds of rubber conduct electricity better than others.