Electrical Shock

[Blue777]

I have 09 plate ford focus Zetec 1.6 petrol. I am getting electrical shock through the doors when I close the door. Any idea why is that happening?

[Stoney871]

Rubber soled shoes, static producing clothes, waterproof seat covers?

It's static, touch metal bodywork before getting in/out to discharge the static.

[sonic113]

agree with stoney here :)

I used to get that alot with my old escort and pinned it down to the shoes I had at the time. Its weird but it is the static, some get it from cloths like stoney has mentioned. It used to spark me when I was getting out of the car especially on longer journeys.

just decharge before fuelling up lol! :D

[Trewithy]

I used to get this and found the best way to counter it was to get a firm grip of a metal part of the door before stepping out of the car.

[blue flash]

I found i was getting shocks through my seat covers.

[Stoney871]

I always get it if I wear a particular pair of boots (pure rubber soles) but if I wear ones with carbon rubber soles then no shocks.

Definitely be aware of static at garages, there are cases where a static spark can ignite petrol fumes.

[Blue777]

Thanks for all your replies

[iantt]

i used to get static on suzuki cars , was the seats, i could charge my self and get out without discharge until i touched something or someone else, was quite funny walking past mates then touching there ear with my finger, you could hear the spark and resulting scream.lol, never shocked me if i held a screwdriver or the like .

[sonic113]

I always get it if I wear a particular pair of boots (pure rubber soles) but if I wear ones with carbon rubber soles then no shocks.

Definitely be aware of static at garages, there are cases where a static spark can ignite petrol fumes.

agree 100% with stoney here on the petrol fumes.

here is an example lol!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZxFL9cGkI

[Wino]

Were having issues with this on our focus to the degree that no-one wants to get out first lol I have resorted to opening the drivers door and managing to shut the door by using the inside of the door as if you was closing it from the inside.
Providing i give if enough of a pull it closes properly and no shock.

[SeanW]

The weather can also play a part.

I often get them when I'm wearing certain clothes (like a numpty, I never make a note of which clothes lol) in summer when there's a lot of dust in the air.

I tried convincing myself it was just my electric personality...

...Actually, the point about discharge before fill up in an important one. There have been a large number of oil tankers blow up because they washed their tanks with water. Static built up...metal ship sat in water...atmosphere in the tank a good mix of hydrocarbon vapours and oxygen...BOOM

[Randoms]

I get a serious static belt if I wear a particular pair of trainers, kids & wife find it funny. 😊

[Wino]

Were convinced its the seats as they dont seem very material like like our 2010 focus had. Footwear and clothing is pretty much the same. Not had issues with any of the other focus we've had but this current one is like being tasered on a daily basis.
Thankfully I only drive it at weekends.

[Dee_82]

I always get it if I wear a particular pair of boots (pure rubber soles) but if I wear ones with carbon rubber soles then no shocks.

Definitely be aware of static at garages, there are cases where a static spark can ignite petrol fumes.

Brainiacs did a piece on this years ago, turns out wearing a Shell suite in a petrol station is more likely to start a fire than a hundred odd mobiles all in use ringing or vibrating away, in that the latter didn't set light to a petrol filled caravan and the former blew it to bits.