Static charged body after driving... electrical issue?

[iwaslowr]

After driving your vehicle do you ever notice a static charge has built up? And when you touch a metal body panel (for example, when you get out and close the door) you end up discharging it by making the ground connection? How can this be prevented? It is much worse after adding the escalade tail lights :cuss: perhaps grounding the lights on the frame in addition to the harness' ground would help?

 

[Gambler]

All vehicles do this.

 

[Ojustracing]

I work on cars for a living. Every vehicle does this. Some more than others. Way worse in the winter than the summer.

John

 

[bad63lac]

Haven't had this problem with my newer cars but my '63 Caddy likes to give me a love zap here and there...


Don't taze me bro!

 

[Mad Dawg]

I work on cars for a living. Every vehicle does this. Some more than others. Way worse in the winter than the summer.

John

+1 Also, depending on the material of the clothing you are wearing, i.e. wool, etc, will increase the likelihood of a static discharge. Just remember to "discharge" yourself by touching a body panel before refueling. Explosions have happened because of a static discharge.

 

[Poe1983]

Nothing can be done about that. As everyone above said all vehicles do this.

 

[Rebound]

I get sapped nearly every freakin' time I get out of a car.

As Mad Dawg said, that's the real danger when refuelling. Cell phones aren't any danger at all (unless your cell battery blows up!).

 

[Gambler]

I'm in the habit now of stepping out of the car and touching my door with my palm first, doesn't hurt as much that way. +1 on it being worse during the winter

 

[73shark]

It's worse in the winter due to the low RH.

Back in the '50s, you could get a strap that attached to your rear bumper to supposedly act as a ground. If you wanted to look cool, you put one on each side, kind of like fake dual exhausts or having your fog lites on all the time.

 

[bad63lac]

I'm surprised this many of you are mentioning this happens all the time or that you're in the habit of touching a body panel when exiting.

I thought it might be more related to your geographic location but you guys seem to be scattered around a bit.


For the record, I've been driving for 13 years, I've personally owned 7-8 modern cars in that time and I have never, ever been zapped by any of those cars. Nor can I remember being zapped as a kid prior to owning my own car.

I have had this happen on my '65 & '63 Caddy's. I attributed it mainly to bad grounding or something. It seems to happen all the time on my '63. Again, has never happened to me on a modern car as far as my 31 years of memory serve.


Are you guys rubbing your feet on the carpet floor before exiting to build up some static charge or what?

 

[Ojustracing]

I'm surprised this many of you are mentioning this happens all the time or that you're in the habit of touching a body panel when exiting.

I thought it might be more related to your geographic location but you guys seem to be scattered around a bit.


For the record, I've been driving for 13 years, I've personally owned 7-8 modern cars in that time and I have never, ever been zapped by any of those cars. Nor can I remember being zapped as a kid prior to owning my own car.

I have had this happen on my '65 & '63 Caddy's. I attributed it mainly to bad grounding or something. It seems to happen all the time on my '63. Again, has never happened to me on a modern car as far as my 31 years of memory serve.


Are you guys rubbing your feet on the carpet floor before exiting to build up some static charge or what?

Its not rubbing you feet that do it. Its the sliding of your behind across the seat.:gy: If you could not slide you wont get zapped!!!!!!!!. These trucks have a big distance from the seat to the ground.

John

 

[Rebound]

Its not rubbing you feet that do it. Its the sliding of your behind across the seat.:gy: If you could not slide you wont get zapped!!!!!!!!. These trucks have a big distance from the seat to the ground.

John

On leather?

I realize that any surface get generate a static charge, but leather?