Hmm...well that is very interesting to note. Humidity was my only thought, must just be clothing and the cloth on the seats.

100% humidity....doesn't that just mean that it is raining, or better yet, pea soup fog? haha.

--Justin

 

The humidity thing is dead on. Florida is as humid as it gets. During high humidity (10 months a year or so) I never get shocked.

However, the months of January & February seem to be the ones: low humidity = daily shocks, until it goes back up to normal.

I have cloth seats as well. You really want to get lit up with a spark ? Try wearing a wool suit and sliding out of there. Damn near a lightning bolt !!!

 

Has anyone try installing those grounding staps I see hanging under the bumper

 

I get shocked year round here in Middle TN, I don't think it's is the humidity either.
I have the cloth seats in my XLT. I seem to recall hearing at one time that the shock happens because of the rubber
compounds they use in the tires these days not having as much carbon to conduct electrical charges to ground.

HiO

 

What RebelYel said. When I drove an XLT with cloth seats I planned on the shock before closing the door. At gas stations I always discharged the shock before filling with gas.

Noe, with the Lariat I don't remember getting a shock.

 

I don't know if this is the case or not, but my salesman warned me that if I had the air recirculating that it deionizes the air in the truck and could cause more static in the air. I have leather, but he still told me to touch metal before I got out if I run the circulation. *shrug* that's what he told me anyway.

 

I bet you'll get that same shock no matter what vehicle you drive. 'Round here when it gets a little cool & dry out I get shocked on everything. Elevators, doors, car, cat.

 

I had a 01 Ranger with cloth seats and got shocked. Traded the Ranger for a 02 Screw XLT w/ cloth seats and got shocked. Traded that for an 03 Screw Lariat w/ leather and no more shock. I learned that when getting out of my ranger and first Screw I had to keep a hand on the door while opening and then step out of the truck onto the ground with hand still on door. Standing with both feet on the ground I could let go of the door and close it with out being shocked.

 

my last screw had cloth seats and to eliminate static shock i simply rubbed a dryer sheet (any brand will do) on the front seats about once a month. the sheets are meant to eliminate static in dryers and it works great in truck too. i found the problem is greater during our dry canadian winter. good luck.

 

I've got the cloth captains chairs in my truck (2001 SCrew). I used to have a static shock problem while getting out of it. I solved it simply by changing the way I get out of the truck. All I do is hold onto the outer edge of the door, inside the door jam near where the latch is, while I'm sliding off the seat. Simply holding onto the paint is usually enough, but I most often also am touching one of the bolts that holds the latch hardware. Doing it this way provides a good ground to disipate the static while getting out and not get a shock. This is also a very good idea to do while going to fill up with gas. Static and gas pumps = not a good situation.

 

I live in Southern Maine, have the cloth seats and get shocked year round however, it happens more in the winter. I'm going to try the rubber straps that hang from the frame before the snow comes. In the meantime, I'll try the drier sheets (good idea).

 

Hey Ford, How about weaving a few metallic threads into the seat cloth so we won't get shocked. Computer room carpet has this and it works great.

 

I live in California and have never been shocked once. Then I went to school in Colorado and got shocked every single time I got out of my truck. Now that I've moved back home, I have yet to be shocked once. Obviously, location could have something to do with this.

 

Just an FYI, I live in chicago and I get shocked every time I get out of my Screw XLT as well. i have cloth seats too.. :/

I'm no scientist, but I remember from my physics days that a static shock is a balancing of electons. For whatever reason, while you're driving, your body accumulates an abundance of electrons that it doesn't need. When you touch something that will conduct, the human physiology takes over and does some electron house cleaning. I'm subscribing to a combination of the theories here; mostly the seat cloth against the denim wrapped around your hide produces friction that shuffles electrons over to your body, and the humidity (I'm guessing) could make a situation more conducive to a discharge.

This is the same thing that happens when you rub a balloon on your head and stick it to a wall

 

Since winter temps have come over the last month here I haven't been getting any shocks. Todays temp was -2 dergrees Celcius with a Humidity of 76%
Go figure