...everytime they get in and out of their leather seats? New KR purchased last Saturday and every single time we (my wife is the one complaining the most) get out of the truck we get shocked. Is it just us or is it a new vehicle issue or a cold weather thing (Minnesota) with no humidity in the air or new leather or what? Any ideas, thoughts or solutions out there in King Ranch land? Merry Christmas to all!

Thanks in advance!

Mas Salsa

ps---absolutely LOVE my new truck!

 

It's not unique to the KR...

There have been a few threads that have moved around in the 2004/2005 forum dealing with just this issue. It seems the truck builds static when running and then, naturally, discharges when you ground it.

Not sure how to avoid it... I guess you could coat your truck in DOWNY FABRIC SOFTENER SHEETS and it might do the trick... and, as a perk, your truck will be Snuggly soft... oh, wait a minute... I think I just crossed the brand name line there...


RP

 

Dryer sheets work well. We sometimes need them here in the winter when it gets dry. You can also use an aerosol spray static eliminator available in the laundry isle of the grocery or drug store.
Several years ago my girlfriend had a fuzzy steering wheel cover on her car. Drove me nuts every time I drove it because I would get zapped like crazy! I would pull the dam thing off when getting in her car and then put it back on when I parked it.

 

MasSalsa,

Does the shocking take place after you step out of the truck or while sitting in the seat and touching the handle? I've noticed a few shocks on mine too on low humidity days. I used to have that problem with trucks that had cloth seats and I'd touch the metal frame of the door as I was stepping out and there would be no problem since the metal would absorb the energy before I stepped onto the GROUND.

I'm a little bit curious about this too so lets keep talking as my son is complaining about getting shocked but he has a booster seat in the back that is cloth covered sitting on top of the leather so that could be creating his shocks.

Later,

BTW, nice truck! If I had to do it all over again, I'd go with White too.

~DM~

 

All,

The shocking comes from touching the ground when stepping out of truck and then touching door or some other metal part of the truck. Kids (two...1.5 boy and 3.5 girl) have not complained about shocks but will look for that to be the case. The kids carseats are on a hard plastic (but soft at the same time) mat/carseat holder that may keep them from being shocked going in and out. If anyone out there wants more info on the seat protectors I will post....it seemed like the carseats left a pretty good indentation in the leather so I looked for some remedy at my second least favorite store in the world behind any fabric store (too much time with mom as a kid in them).....Babies R Us.

Anyway....will try to post more info as I figure things out. Thanks for the posts and Merry Christmas to all.

Thanks for the compliment on the White Daveman. I (we) love it. It is -5 below here in MN but needed to get the salt and some road grime off today so went to the local wash your own car place and did a modified wash. All who are in a warmer client be thankful. Probably will not be able to get first coat of wax on the truck til the spring so will keep as clean as possibe in the meantime. Have already checked out the General Care and Detailing message board...great info. Needed to have a clean rig for transport to the Christmas eve service and the Christmas jaunt to Chicago for some post Christmas festivities with the inlaws!

Mas

 

Mas,

What used to work for me when I would step out and get shocked is to hold onto the steel part of the door as you step out and the static discharges while your hand has contact and you feel anything. However, this is difficult to do and may be awkward but it does work.

Merry Christmas to all and have a Happy New Year if I don't speak to anyone until after the holidays.

Later,

~DM~

 

I noticed the problem of static shock for about the first month I drove my new KR, but it seems to happen far less often now. The weather here is now much drier than when I got the truck so I don't think it has much to do with relative humidity or temperature. I think it has more to do with the bum slide off the seat and grounding to the metal door frame.

My truck is now two and a half months old and the static does not seem to be such a problem as it was when I first started driving it. I frankly can not remember the last time it happened, but when I first got it, it seemed like every time I exited the truck I got shocked, and so did my passenger.

Hope this helps!

 

Becareful there was a special on T V about people who were getting gas and got back in ther car or truck while it was pumping and when they got back out the static electricty was enough to cause a spark and it went off like a bomb.One camera at a gas pump showed and they aired on T V and it was hard to beleive some thing could happen from that.

 

Hey...
Breifly and with out gettin' all scientific....

Static electricity is caused by the amount of negative ions in the air... this is a situation that is increased when the air is drier ie. winter and northern climates.

To eliminate the static... moisture must be introduces in to the air. The negitive ions will attach themselves to the water molecules
and loose their negativity... thus the shock will be eliminated.

So pour water over yourself before you get out..JUST KIDDIN'

Not much you can do...
I have noticed ambulances and fire engines in northern cities like Boston have large chains that dangle under them and just touch the ground.

It is also why you ground aircraft before refueling. If not the spark can ignite the vapors and BOOM!

By the way it is true about fillin' up at the gas station... your cell phone or you gettin' in or out the car/truck can cause a spark and BOOM!!!

Careful with your smokes... You don't have to see liquid gas...
It's the FUMES that are most flammable... that's why welders don't weld on empty tanks... too many fumes.
DON"T GO BOOM!!!

By the way...side note.... save money... fill up a plastic spray bottle with tap water... when you open the dryer.. spray your clothes lightly 4 or so times and you will eliminate the static...
Go ahead try it on a pair of socks next time... just wet your hand and flick the water on the socks...Can't hurt to give it a try

You can spend the money on your truck that you saved from not buying dryer sheets (and your clothes won't have that odd artificial smell...what's that suppose to smell like any way?)

Hope this helped in someway or at least entertained

KEEP ON TRUCKING!!!!

 

NO MORE STATIC SHOCK!

I had the same problem with my 2005 F250 King Ranch. My passengers and myself were getting zapped every time we got out of the truck. I went online and found some suggestions. I used a simple solution and It works!

All I did was clean my floor mats and let them dry. I applied 2 coats of Scotch Guard. (Everyone should do this anyway)

Then I applied 2 coats of "Leather CPR" to the seats.

THAT'S IT.... I HAVE NOT BEEN ZAPPED ONCE EVER SINCE I DID THIS!

Scotch Guard can be bought in the grocery store, hardware or auto parts stores.

Leather CPR was purchased from Linens-n-things. You can also get it online.

It really works!

 

The cell phone causing a fire myth has been dispelled repeatedly. There has NEVER been a fire in a gas station caused by a cell phone.

Static, on the other hand, is a reality and causes more than a few fires every year. (Can't remember the number offhand)

The best solution I found is to get out of the car and, since you already have your ignition key in your hand, touch the ignition key to the door or frame before touching it to push it closed. As long as you are touching the steel of the key, the spark jumps from the key to the door. At worst, you might feel the hairs on the back of your hand tingle a tad, but at night you can get a 1/2" long spark sometimes!

-Joe

 

I used to get shocked all the time when I first got my KR. Now, I can't remember the last time I got shocked. I used Leather CPR on the seats a few times, but haven't even put the carpet KR floor mats in. I have tan rubber floor mats, which I am pretty sure were in when I was still getting shocked.

If this isn't just a KR thing, then I doubt the leather CPR had anything to do with it. Perhaps just gettn' a little mud on the tires resolves the shock

_SG

 

finally figured out why we are getting shocked. believe it or not, its the tires. apparently, some tires are grounded better then outhers, if you are getting shocked alot, you prolly have the stock tires on there still. some fixes go as mentioned earlier, or.... get new tires, or you can dangle a string down from the truck underneith and put a piece of metel on the end, you wont get shocked any more. im upgradeing my tires anyway, but this should solve your problems