Hey eveyone, I've noticed a reoccuring problem lately. Both me and my girlfriend seem to get shocked by the car everytime we go to close the door after riding in the monte. I do have a sub woofer/amp and I dont know if it could possibly be a grounding issue or just something else. Anyone have any ideas? It seems to happen just about everytime and even if i close the door with my arm with a sweat shirt on I can still feel the shock, it hurts!

Thanks,
Steve

 

Hmm. I'm still unclear as to what you mean.. But its been a long day..

I don't believe you have an circuit across your vehicles chassis.. If you were dumping enough voltage into the chassis so you can feel a shock, it would definitally be blowing your amp fuse or causing some interesting things to happen in your monte.

Ill guess what you are experiencing is ESD. Electrostatic discharge. As you drive your car it generates static electricity as the tires roll down the road. When you exit the car, you ground yourself by stepping on the pavement. Then you touch the car door and all of the vehicles built up static returns to ground through you. Zap!

You can add a drag strap (static strap that drags under the car to disperse the static) or hang onto your car as you get out of it, for example, I used to put my hand on the window frame as I exited.

Just a little UFI for ya.. A 7000L diesel refueler can generate over 24,000V by driving 10km if it doesn't have a static strap? (Low amperage of course)

A twin Huey helicopter can generate enough static to kill a person after a 3 hour flight.

 

My ex-wife had the same problem. She kept complaining that my old Saturn we picked out didn't like her as it shocked her but never me. I just blamed it on her... can't blame the car, note the ex part.

But whenever I left the car I was always touching a part of the door to keep it under control so wind wouldn't take it away to hit another car or fall back on me as I'm exiting. She just opened it up, got out and then grapped the window rail and closed the door.

 

Yeah I meant ESD. Seems like it is an unavoidable aspect of a car? I never experienced it until 6 months ago. Figured it was just my new shoes or something like that, but I guess I'll just have to try and keep in contact with a metal surface as I get out of the car. Thanks everyone.

Steve

 

My old Gofl used to do that. If you have a stereo or amps installed might want to check the grounds. I changed mine and I stoped getting them shocks.

 

My bone stock monte does this every time with a painful outcome. I just live with it. It shocks me so hard I can see the arch even when it isnt dark.

 

I have the same problem! Thought I was the only unlucky one! What I have done to compensate for the shock is to touch the door with my shoulder when getting out of the car - usually clothes tend to dampen the pain of the shock. I suppose whatever works for you, just go with it.

 

I've had the same problem with a few of my cars. Winter is usually when it get's the worst.

 

Yep same here I get shocked too. And especially if you have cloth seats. I always get shocked when I wear my long wool coat. I wonder if that anti static spray would help.

 

I know what you mean. With our newer cars and all the electronics now adays they are getting to be more and more like airplanes. I work on military aircraft and every time the plane lands before we touch it we have to use a long cable to ground it. This discharges all of the static electricity before we touch it. With the planes it's enough to kill you. I have delt with your problem with my pick-ups as well. As the wind moves over the surface of the car it really does build up a lot of static. The ricers solve this problem with a small wire that bolts to the chasie and drags on the ground. There is also a lot of "grounding kits" made for engines and frames that will help you with everything from this problem to static in your stereo. If that doesen't work then I supose you could clamp a wire to the car and ground it to a light pole or something every time you park. Anyhow the truth is though you want to be carful at the pump. That shock your getting cuases a small spark. The agency that deals with gas station saftey came out with a study and discoverd that ALL of the gasstation explosions are a result of the person not touching the car when they get out. Then when they are fueling they touch the car near the open fuel tank cuasing the discharge and a spark. It isn't the cell phones like we thought it was. Hope this helps some.