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Static Electricity...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by texassalsa04, Sep 18, 2004.

  1. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    Lately, I have noticed that on various occasions when I go out for a drive, my Prius gets lots of static electricity when I touch the door handle to open the car or to press the black square to lock it.

    Has anyone had the same experience? I am wondering what's going on. When I hop in my wife's car, I don't get shock, especially during the summer months.
     
    #1 texassalsa04, Sep 18, 2004
  2. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    I've owned my car 3 weeks. Today I turned the heater on for the first time and I immediately felt the hair on my arms feel strange. I thought I had ants on my arms though with my peripheral vision I knew there was nothing.

    I shut off the heater and then turned it on again. It happened again. This was clearly some kind of static charge. But it was really not bothersome.
     
    #2 prius04, Sep 18, 2004
  3. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    You didn't say if you turned on the heater from the steering wheel (unlikely) or the center screen. Reaching near a video screen can easily raise the hair on whatever you are pointing at it. We don't touch our computers or TVs often so this may not have occurred to you.

    If it's something else, it's probably worth getting checked out. I don't have an answer about the door button.
     
    #3 jimofdg, Sep 18, 2004
  4. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    I turned on the heater by pressing the up button on the steering wheel. My arms were nowhere near the computer screen.
     
    #4 prius04, Sep 18, 2004
  5. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    hmmm interesting... maybe static electricity that occurs naturally in a heated room. the air is heated, the moisture drops making static electricity more prevalent. hot dry air is the worst for static.

    a leaking charge from a circuit in the car would be a much lower voltage and feel completely different. for one thing, it would have high enough current to cause muscle contractions etc. static electricity usually doesnt. it just pops (this might cause one contraction)

    the seats in the Prius dont seem like they would create static at all. in fact, im liking the fabric more and more every day. (especially since my taco sauce spill cleaned up so nicely)
     
    #5 DaveinOlyWA, Sep 19, 2004
  6. BobA

    BobA New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(texassalsa04\";p=\"40348)</div>
    Could be the humidity... Texas is pretty dry...the cloth seats also can hold the shock... I always got shocked with my Dakota... haven't found it with the Prius... I carried a can of anti-stat and would spray the seat once in a while in the Dodge...

    Bob Andersen
     
    #6 BobA, Sep 19, 2004
  7. Batavier

    Batavier Member

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    No problems with anti-static here.
     
    #7 Batavier, Sep 19, 2004
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    im with batavier, with the ocean climate, the summers here the humidity is very comfortable at 40-60%, in the winter is doesnt matter although the humidity averages 95+%.
     
    #8 DaveinOlyWA, Sep 19, 2004
  9. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    Hmmm...you guys could be right. It is humid here in the Dallas area but prior to my Prius, I drove an MR2 and I had very seldom, if ever, experienced static electricity during the summer months. Then again, I do have front seat covers for my Prius (same covers that some of the members here bought on-line). Maybe the material on the cover causes the static electricity build up as I slide my butt into place. :p Anyone with seat covers experience this? By the way, I did not have the heater on. I have the AC on constantly during these summer months and still manage to get 45mpg around the city :mrgreen:
     
    #9 texassalsa04, Sep 19, 2004
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