7 Foot

Why is my car giving me an electric shock every time I get out of it?

Have noticed it happening for a few weeks but it has got worse over the last couple of days.

Would prefer answers to cure the problem rather than just prevent getting a shock

clubby

People used to fit those rubber/plastic strips that trailed along the ground, they earthed the car stopping static build up I think. Must be a better solution by now you would think.

BuRR

Might be something to do with what shoes you have on?

ice man

I get it all the time on mine. Now I let other people get out the car first so they get the shock and I'm fine

met

yes at last someone else has this problem, i was going to post this too but was too embarassed, i now get out of the fking car whilst holding on to the outside of the driver door before i stand on the road? very strange manoevere indeed, get a fking huuuuge shock nearly every time i get out! any one els got an idea?

dan4

It is caused by the car becoming charged off the earths magnetic field when you drive in a straight line for a long time. Try driving around in circles before you get out of the car, or if you don't have the space, a couple of three point turns should do the trick.

pslewis

Gold wheels make the matter worse!

Pete

ice man

So I need to drive round in circles and get rid of my gold wheels

7 Foot

So all I have to do to prevent this happening is drive around in cicles, dragging my foot along the road,wearing leather soled shoes, and holding onto my door. Good.

Glad we got the prevention sorted . Any ideas on why my car is doing it worse than ever?

Dracoro

That always used to make me laugh. I mean, there's not exactly much rubber in contact with the ground in the 1st place is there!

D6ale

iTrader: (1)

mine has also got worse over the past few days and a few laydees have called me some real nasty names. because i also let them get out first.

ha ha

another way round this is to open the door then hold it via the glass and shut it with the glass. i dont get them then

7 Foot

I am sure I get them off the glass as well. Maybe the window film has something to do with it.

My shoes are old!

j_p_h

I get them on my mums car the worst dam fords lol. My scoob dosent seem as bad for whatever reason. I do tend to hold the glass now though to prevent it.

7 Foot

Just had to move the car. Stopped the engine got out and shut the door using my foot (gently and with suede upper) - loud(ish) crack and felt the shock through my bloody shoe .

Someone must have an answer. Please!!

NotoriousREV

stop wearing nylon underpants

XRS

I get this whenever the air is dry. I find that if I get out and open the passenger rear door I don't gewt a shock, and can then close the driver's door.

I was recently pointing to a mark on the bodywork when the spark jumped about an inch off the car onto my finger. Came as a surprise.

mark d

It gets much worse in cold (and therefore dry) weather. I was in Boston last December where it was f**king cold and therefore very, very dry and I got painful shocks off my hire every time I touched the body work. So much so I thought the battery was shorting through the body before I found out what it was.

It is due to static electricity caused by air moving over the car whilst moving which can't go anywhere due to the really low humidity.

Spoon

This thread made me laugh as I too have the same problem.

Letting someone out first does work but when you're on your own it's a right plop.

I always get one from adjusting my seat, I got a right belt today when moving it then my partner got in and we touched causing another one.
She's wised up now to the "getting out first" so we both end up at our destination sitting there pretending to have dropped something hoping the other will open the door.
After 3 hours I push her out ;-)

Silverback

I get it with my MY03WRX all the time.

It doesn't matter what shoes I am wearing, although I find my Nike Cortez trainers make it 10 times worse.

Shocks range from little ones to full on 'clap of thunder' types.

Perhaps I should wear an earthing strip instead of fitting one to the car.

Any solutions other than those old dear strips would be most welcome.

Tino

Wear thick soled wellies!

7 Foot

So there is nothing wrong under the bonnet or in the electrics?

Any advance on wellington boots?
Whilst grateful for the solution I am mildly concerned about negative effects such equipment may have on my heel toeing.

Dr Steve

I know somebody who claimed to get loads of their Renault 4 years ago, and had to wear gloves to prevent the shocks. Turned out the HT leads were rubbing on the steering column!

Tino

Attatch a short length of chain to something metal in the car.Throw the free end out of the door onto the ground before you get out! Car earthed problem solved! Pure genius or what!!

7 Foot

PMSL @ Tino

blueE9

7 Ft

i had this on my Pug for about a month last summer - as in visible sparks at times off the metalwork to the skin - then it went away again just as suddenly and hasn't come back. so if it's only been a couple of weeks you might find the same.

Then again, you may need to invest in an all-body rubber catsuit, but it could be embarassing when you need to fill up?

Tino

Had the same problem with a car I had a while back.It only seemed to occur on warm sunny days.I think its something to do with the wheels acting like a Vandegraf (prob not the right spelling) generators and 'charging' the car up.Got a few healthy bangs of the beggar! Fitted a static strip and it seemed to solve the problem. Looked a bit crap though.Perhaps one could be fitted under the car where it would not be seen.
Best of luck 'Sparky':
TTFN Tino

Neil W

Get the same from my MY01. Tried not touching it as I get out but as soon as I put the key in the garage door that gives me a belt and a small spark too!

FLAT ERIC

iTrader: (1)

Swap your natty Sparco super soft kid leather driving gloves for a dinky pink pair of rubber Marigolds.

Well rubber always works for me.

Sorted.

Butkus

I get these virtually every time I get out the car. I find closing the door by pushing on the glass works. Then you get fingerprints on the glass though. Oh well!

AJbaseBloke

Seriously, try re-earthing the car (a search for "earthing" should find you some decent threads - try the tech forums - prior to the expanded format, they appeared in general tech and drivetrain I think).

I used to get really great shocks w/2 inch lightning bolts from my car , which left burns on the end of whatever appendage happened to be zapped. These days, only very rarely do I get even a mild tingle (and Japanese winters are horrible for static w/extremely low humidity).

HTH