Getting shocked when stepping out
 

I get zapped when I step out of my vehicle and touch the metal part of the door. It doesn't happen all of the time but it does most of the time. I have replaced the floor mats with the all-weather floor mats a while back, therefore I'm not generating static electricity by rubbing my shoes on the floor carpeting. It also happens to my passengers. Is anyone experiencing this? BTW, its about 70 degrees and humid in Hawaii so its not cold weather that's causing this.

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

That happened to my wife and I, at the same time, the day I brought the car. I still have the stock floor mats. I thought it was pretty weird. But I see that it is not an isolated incident.

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

I've noticed that my shoes (presumably sole material) make a difference in this for me.

I've got some leather boots (rubber type sole) and get shocked hard every time with those. I've got some other leather shoes and don't get much with them. It certainly gets your attention.

Scott

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

This is common for any vehicle with low rolling resistance tires. What you can do is either hold a metal part of the door while stepping out of the car, or once you're out, touch the glass, not the metal part of the door first.

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

I think its pretty universal with this car. Seems every car has given me a slight shock, but the Civic seems to be a bit more than normal. I will try the suggestions and see if it helps me. I sort of figured it was common.

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

I have the same thing. I get a bigger shock from my Civic than I do from my Escape (but I get it from both). I've never heard about the low resistance tires. I will try the suggestions as well.

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

It has nothing to do with the tires.
I know a lot about static electricity because I work in electronics in Aerospace and we have to be very careful with static, since it damges components.

Static electricity is generated when two dissimilar materials are rubbed together.
Your seat and your clothing are almost certainly made of different materials.
As you slide out of the car these fabrics rub together and this generates the charge.
Your body can be at a potential of thousands of volts with respect to the car.
When you touch the metal of the car you complete the path for current and the charge dissipates.

Other things can affect how much charge is generated.
Wool, cotton, silk, synthetic fabrics will develop different amounts of charge.
Humidity and your skin's moisture content are also factors.
Protective coatings on the upholstery may be a factor.

One sure-fire way to prevent the shock:
Open the door.
Before moving your body against the seat touch the metal of the door.
Keep touching it as you move.
This will bleed off the static charge continuously.
The current will be so low that you won't feel anything.

This is guaranteed to work as long as your skin maintains continuous contact with the metal of the door.

Another solution is, don't bother with all this but when you get out and close the door touch ONLY the glass of the door.
Being an insulator glass will not conduct that charge off your body so there will be no shock.

BTW, no current needs to flow through the tires for you to get shocked.
I think people think about tires because they think there has to be a path to ground for current to flow.
Not true.
Your flashlight works just fine, doesn't it?

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

Use your foot to close the door. That works for me. I hate static electricity!

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

Everytime I step out of my 2000 Honda Accord I get shocked, so it's not just a problem with the HCH. But the shocks aren't really a big deal and I've come to expect them now. It seems like the longer I'm in the car the bigger the shock I get when I step out. But they don't hurt so it's really easy to deal with.

-Mike

Re: Getting shocked when stepping out
 

I may have to disagree. If you google "low rolling resistance tires" and "static shock" you will find numerous articles and discussions regarding Accords, BMWs, Audis, Toyotas, VWs, and others, that claim that the use of silica in low rolling resistance tires contributes to the increased incidence of static shock when exiting the car. So at least, there is a fair amount of discussion attributing increased static shock to LRR tires.

I have one more piece of anecdotal evidence that is significant. I recently changed tires, going from the old LRR tires that came with the car, to new tires which are not LRR. With the old LRR tires, I used to regularly get large static shocks when exiting my 2005 HCH. With the new non-LRR tires (I have had them for 3-4 months now), I never get shocked.