OK, I have not seen any type of thread regarding this. After driving to your next destination, shutting off the truck, and upon opening the door, you get a pretty nice static shock when you open the door. It will startle this crap out of you. How many of you have had this happen and is there something we can do to eliminate this static shock? Mine gets real bad when the hot and dry Santa Ana winds blow.

 

Lol, Rick. Believe it or not, that little zap is your friend. Cars build up a lot of static electricity when just driving down the road. It's the tires. Think about rubbing a baloon in your hair and what happens? Static electricity builds up and you can walk over to someone and zap them. A car's tires are constantly rubbing on the road and building a charge over the surface of the car. When you enter that field with your hand on that little metal strip in the door handle, you complete a circuit and discharge the electricity into your hand. This makes sure that when you're filling up your GAS tank, you don't spark and ignite the GAS fumes. It's not necessary for diesel vehicles because a spark will not ignite diesel but it is useful for that guy you walk up to that's filling his gas tank.

Google GAS PUMP FIRE STATIC and watch a video of what happens when people don't ground out before pumping gas.

 

I know exactly what you mean and Epic is right on. I've seen some people use a ground strap. It's a flat rubber strap that hangs down from the frame in the rear of the vehicle and it's long enough to touch (drag) the ground. Here's a website for them Antistatic strap for cars - STOP static shocks! Stop Static Electricity in your vehicle!. I don't like them personally, but it probably beats getting shocked.

Good luck.

 

OK- I was going to take mine in to the dealer for this issue. NOW I KNOW AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!!!
Thanks guys

 

I have had my truck since Aug 2010 and I have not once noticed that. Must be too cold for electricity up here?

 

If that static shock annoys you, try the shock from a helicopter before it discharges. "That's funny right there, I don;t care who you are."

 

I'm curious do you have leather or fabric material on your seats ? I have leather and have never had that issue with being shocked. Maybe I just don't notice. As others have said maybe it depends more on the climate where a person happens to live.

 

I'm here in AZ where it is usually pretty dry. I have the King Ranch with the Saddle Leather. I will occasionally get the static shock getting into the truck.

MythBusters did a whole episode on the Static discharge/fuel ignition (mostly with the cell phone theory). It seems it took a whole lot of manipulation to get it to ignite. Enclosures to get the vapors to be high enough. Larger current for the electrical discharge, etc etc. so IIRC mostly busted the myth.

 

Funny that this is the only vehicle I have owned that I have felt this, first time it happened had a WTH moment, thanks for the asking Rick, Being in the dry cold up here it really gets me at times.

 

I have never had the problem with leather seats; but, with cloth seats I have. Putting some fabric softener in a spray bottle and lightly misting the seats would take care of issue; maybe try same with your carpet.

Learned this trick years ago watching a video by the original inventor of the pink anti-static material for electronics.

Bob

 

OK, I guess its just a normal thing. My '92 GM dually always shocked me also. Casadef250, yes I do have fabric seats. And as always another good explanation from Epic. Thanks Guys.

 

What I do is keep my hand on the door frame as I'm stepping out of the truck.

Pretty simple and it works...

 

...Ditto...


biz

 

My 02 F150 did this. I have yet to experience this with my Super Duty. Might be the cloth/leather thing, the 150 had cloth.