Why does a car give an electric shock: reasons and effective ways to eliminate it

As is known, the voltage in the on-board network of most modern cars is about 12 V, which is due to safety considerations. If the car shocks, it only leads to unpleasant, slightly painful sensations in a person, but not to serious injuries or death. During operation, the car shocks most often not because of the on-board system, but due to the accumulation of static electricity.

If the machine gives you an electric shock, there may be several reasons:

1. Accumulation of static charge during movement . Many remember from school physics lessons the experiment with an ebonite stick, which it was enough to rub with wool to form an electric charge. In the case of a car, the “stick” is the body itself, and the “wool” is air flows saturated with mechanical particles, dust. The better the weather, the higher the air temperature, the stronger and more often the car body is shocked by electricity, if there is fog outside, the humidity level has risen to 85 percent or more, or it is raining, the problem is not relevant. Practice shows that the phenomenon is sometimes observed in a situation when the vehicle is simply parked. Its cause in this case is a strong wind, the flows of which create an electrostatic charge.
2. The accumulation of static charge due to friction created by the driver and passengers in the car . The process can be compared to removing clothes made of synthetic material. Quite often you can hear clicks when removing a T-shirt or sweater made of synthetics. These clicks are sparks, the same can occur in the car interior, especially if the seat covers are made of polyester, wool, acrylic.
3. Damage to on-board electrical wiring, equipment . This is the most serious reason why a car shocks. Using such equipment is sometimes dangerous. The essence of the problem is that a damaged bare wire begins to contact the body metal, a breakdown occurs, so that contact will lead to a sensitive shock. Yes, the voltage in the on-board network is only 12 volts, but there is little pleasant in this.

It would seem that if a car gives an electric shock when exiting, there can be no serious consequences. Yes, it is not very pleasant, but there is no real danger. This is a misconception. Sometimes one small spark is enough to cause extremely serious negative consequences:

• Ignition of gasoline vapors . Every driver is familiar with the warning signs at gas stations, according to which you need to muffle the engine, avoid smoking in the immediate vicinity of the pumps. It is not surprising, because the air is so saturated with fuel vapors that one tiny ember, a weak spark is sometimes enough for ignition or volumetric detonation. It is scary to imagine what will happen if a spark slips near the neck of the gas tank during refueling.
• Involuntary muscle contractions . The body’s natural reaction to an electric shock is muscle contraction, which leads to a sharp movement, jerking of the hand, and a jump. If a car shocks, this causes a lot of problems both when getting in and while driving. The simplest example is holding a large box in your hands, because of which you have to literally open the doors or trunk with your fingers. A sudden spark – a sharp involuntary movement – the box with an expensive item flies to the ground. Unpleasant! The consequences are even more serious if an automatic car shocks while driving, when trying to change gear. You can accidentally activate neutral or reverse gear, creating an emergency situation. This is also true for cars with mechanics.
• Damage to onboard electronic equipment . Yes, the circuit provides for the presence of protective relays, however, sometimes even they cannot protect the electronics from voltage surges caused by static charges, it is extremely sensitive and vulnerable to them, and repairs are difficult and expensive.

It is the synthetic clothing that, when in contact with the upholstery, which has a similar material composition, is shocked by the car when exiting. Both elements under consideration are dielectrics, and when they come into contact, a completely natural redistribution of charges occurs. As a result, a static electricity charge is formed. When the driver gets up from the seat, the dielectrics are separated, and when further touching the metal body of the car, energy is transferred with a characteristic, clearly audible click.

Why does an electric shock come from a car is clear, however, what means and methods will help to eliminate the problem? Specific methods of struggle depend on where exactly it is most pronounced – outside or inside the cabin. Both options need to be analyzed in detail, as already noted, the trouble is very serious and it cannot be ignored or left to chance.

So, the machine is giving me an electric shock, how can I fix it? You can use the following:

1. Grounding strips . They are mandatory on tankers and other vehicles used to transport flammable, combustible liquids, and high-hazard class cargo. However, drivers of regular cars, tired of constant electric shocks when landing, can also buy them. The accessory is a clamp with a rubber strip with a wire inside. The clamp allows you to fix it on the bottom or, for example, on the exhaust pipe, and the strip becomes a conductor of static charge to the ground. Nothing complicated, but you can forget about the fact that the car is shocking! An alternative to the strip is a chain that works on exactly the same principle, but is more durable; strong thick metal wears out when in contact with the road surface much less readily than rubber.
2. Special tires . Some premium cars are equipped with them on the factory conveyor. The main difference from regular tires is the presence of a grounding strip, which works exactly the same as the accessory described above. You will not have to hang anything additionally on the body, which will allow you to maintain the attractiveness of the exterior, and all issues related to safety and convenience will be resolved.
3. Contacting a service center . If it is unclear why the electric shock from the car is coming out, the shocks are extremely noticeable, and using additional protective accessories does not help, you should visit a workshop, there is a high probability of a serious problem, damage to internal power components. You should not delay a visit to specialists.
4. Compliance with special rules when leaving the car . This option is for those who are not too worried about why they get an electric shock when leaving the car, who do not want to buy additional protective devices and visit a service center. It is worth saying right away that this option is not the best, because it does not solve the problem of static charge, but simply allows you to “not intersect” with it. The secret is that before leaving, you need to touch the metal part of the body and release it only after both feet are on the ground. Yes, it is inconvenient. Yes, it is unusual. But it works! A slightly simpler method allows you to remove static charge from metal without direct interaction. For example, before leaving, you can touch the body with a key or a special antistatic key fob.
5. Tightening the negative terminal of the battery . Everything can be so simple! It is worth looking under the hood, if the contact has weakened, it is necessary to restore the original density and strength.

The car does not always give an electric shock when exiting. The malfunction sometimes manifests itself in noticeable shocks right in the cabin! In this case, first of all, you need to look at what material the seat covers are made of. Woolen, synthetic products tend to accumulate an electric charge, it is worth replacing them with leather, not necessarily natural, eco-leather or cotton will do. A similar problem occurs if the driver himself prefers to wear clothes made of the specified materials included in the “high risk” group.

If you have no desire to change your favorite clothes and covers, you should at least treat them with an antistatic spray. It is sold in almost any supermarket now, it is inexpensive, and the treatment lasts for 3-4 weeks. In addition to the specified treatment, you can also dry clean the interior, the less dust – the lower the risk of encountering static electricity.