Genuine plea for help ...

[BobMcL]

Every time I get out of the Yeti, the static nearly floors me ... now I use the door window to close the door its so bad!!

The dealership hadn't heard of this problem before and couldnt suggest a realistic "skoda" based solution, merely go to Halfords and nail an anti static strip somewhere on the chassis ... thanks MSB Darlington .. great help.

They also suggested I came here and ask the question of other Yeti owners ... far better advice me thinks .... any one suggest something other than a rubber strip and big nail?

Its 5 weeks old and has 2600 miles on the clock ... not that that should make a difference.

[Bobdog]

Every time I get out of the Yeti, the static nearly floors me ... now I use the door window to close the door its so bad!!

The dealership hadn't heard of this problem before and couldnt suggest a realistic "skoda" based solution, merely go to Halfords and nail an anti static strip somewhere on the chassis ... thanks MSB Darlington .. great help.

They also suggested I came here and ask the question of other Yeti owners ... far better advice me thinks .... any one suggest something other than a rubber strip and big nail?

Its 5 weeks old and has 2600 miles on the clock ... not that that should make a difference.

Personally I'd get rid of the bri nylon shirts and change your shoes!

[LizC]

As you get out of the car hold onto something metal until your feet touch the floor, that should earth you and end the problem.

If you can't find a solution, just let me know and I'll be happy to take the car off your hands.

LizC

[roguebrit]

It's strange - not a problem I have had. Static problems are usually associated with low relative humidity - charge leaks away in damp air - and I wouldn't have thought its been that dry. So sorry - can't offer any solace! An antistatic strip might be the only solution - you must be hot stuff!

[GPR]

Hold the mettle part of the door as you get out you wont feel the shock

[BobMcL]

So far we have only smart ass replies ... I dont wear nylon shirts, my shoes are leather soled and therefore have a high resistance ...

There must be someone out there with something sensible to write or is this not a helpful owners forum that I was led to beleive?

Edited after the sense of the last post hit my few remaining unshocked grey cells ... shame the door releases arent metal ... and I wonder why the last 3 skodas I have had didnt cause this phenomenon?

Edited 18 April, 2011 by BobMcL

[The Plumber]

Hi,

only experienced this once with a Ford Escort in the early 90's dealer also suggested an earthing strip; sadly did not cure the fault. If MSB are unwilling to do any fault finding such as checking the earthing continuity then I would contact Skoda Customer Services (0845 7745745) in the first instance or maybe try another dealer :wonder: By the way does the fault occur electrics off key out or engine running :wonder:

Oh what spec of Yeti do you have :wonder:

Regards,

TP

[roguebrit]

I didn't consider my reply smart-assed, and I thought it would be useful to tell you its not a problem that is universal. Folks here will help if they can, witness TP's typical response. But there's not always an instant answer - try being a bit less sensitive.

[BobMcL]

It only happens engine off key out and the Yeti is a little 1.2 TSI S

Maybe I need longer legs so I ground myself before I lift my rumbled butt off the seats?

[BobMcL]

I didn't consider my reply smart-assed, and I thought it would be useful to tell you its not a problem that is universal. Folks here will help if they can, witness TP's typical response. But there's not always an instant answer - try being a bit less sensitive.

Your reply wasn't smart assed and it wasn't there as I posted that remark ... apologies if it looked that way

[AndyC]

I had this problem with my Mk 1 Octy. Got a right regular jolt from it quite often, but it hasn't happened with the Yeti. Never did find out what caused it and only 'cure' was shutting the door via the glass as you are doing. Might be useful to monitor the weather conditions to see if any change when damp or dry.

Andy

[Meh-Te-Now]

Hi,

First time poster. Hello everybody.

Static discharge is the bane of my motoring life; something I've experienced with most of the cars I've owned. When it became a true annoyance with a Renault Laguna, I had an anti-static strip fitted. This was more or less useless because it was bolted to the underside of the car and was designed to be in continuous contact with the road. It also therefore provided a continuous rumbling sound almost as annoying as the shocks. After a couple of weeks it wore away to the point where it no longer made road contact. Naturally, from that time on it had no effect.

The best solution turned out to be something called a statpad, which is a nondescript pad of material on a keyring. When I get out of the car, I touch it to some exposed metal (i.e. the door handle key entry) before I touch anything else, and it somehow discharges all the static buildup without giving me a jolt. I have no idea what it's made of, but long ago I tried it in darkness and saw a slight frizzle of charge running from the keyhole to the pad, so I'm convinced it doesn't just provide a placebo effect. I bought two of these some years ago, but haven't seen them in the same form since; however, you can still find such things in more high-tech form on e-Bay. Just run a search for 'anti static keyring'.

Hope that helps.

P.s. Had my Yeti for about seven weeks now and I'm very pleased with it. I'll be taking it in this week for the free one-month checkup provided by my dealership. I look forward to spending more time on these boards. The information I gleaned here informed my purchase. So thanks to everyone for helping!

[john999boy]

It really would pay you to try wearing some different clothes just to eliminate that aspect of the problem as has been previously suggested.

Holding the metal part of the key and grounding to a door hinge will also work if your clothes aren't to blame.

[Bobdog]

Your reply wasn't smart assed and it wasn't there as I posted that remark ... apologies if it looked that way

No, mine was the smart arsed reply ... but behind the (clearly failed) attempt at humour was a serious point. A static charge is often built up by friction between two materials (remember the old rubbing a balloon and sticking it to the wall trick) and then discharged when contact is made with some conductor. I've not experienced this problem in my Yeti, but I've had it on occasion in other vehicles and can usually trace it back to wearing some synthetic fabric (a Patagonia fleece, made of recycled plastic drinks bottles was a particular culprit) which rubbed against the synthetic seat material (one of the reasons I prefer the leather seats in my 'Elegance'). I often also wore rubber soled training shoes. Now normally any charge would earth, painlessly, through my footwear when my feet hit the ground. However, wearing the trainers insulated me from the ground, the charge had to go somewhere, and when I touched the car ... ZING!!! I'm suggesting the problem might not (entirely) be with the car but with your interaction with it.

We are genuinely helpful on here when we can be, but there's also a bit of good natured banter ... Funny, the mental health people will tell you that electric shocks (electro-convulsive therapy, or ECT) improve the mood and make you less grumpy!

Edited 19 April, 2011 by Bobdog

[EdmundBlackadder]

No, mine was the smart arsed reply ... but behind the (clearly failed) attempt at humour was a serious point. A static charge is often built up by friction between two materials (remember the old rubbing a balloon and sticking it to the wall trick) and then discharged when contact is made with some conductor. I've not experienced this problem in my Yeti, but I've had it on occasion in other vehicles and can usually trace it back to wearing some synthetic fabric (a Patagonia fleece, made of recycled plastic drinks bottles was a particular culprit) which rubbed against the synthetic seat material (one of the reasons I prefer the leather seats in my 'Elegance'). I often also wore rubber soled training shoes. Now normally any charge would earth, painlessly, through my footwear when my feet hit the ground. However, wearing the trainers insulated me from the ground, the charge had to go somewhere, and when I touched the car ... ZING!!! I'm suggesting the problem might not (entirely) be with the car but with your interaction with it.

I am actually involved in supplying anti-static items into the electronics industry and Bobdog has given a pretty good description of what is happening. The charge is occurring between you and the car, it is not the car alone. 9 times out of 10 it relates to your clothing and shuffling that you are doing on your seat, either your backside or your feet. You may not be doing anything different from past cars but the Yeti's fabrics, seats or carpets, may be different and so in your in seat shuffling is now being an issue.

Also take into account the fact that the weather is warming up, the air con is on and so the atmosphere inside the car is dry and susceptible to static. This should not in itself cause the problem but it will set the conditions up nicely if you are in polyester mix trousers/shirt etc.

Rubber strips from Halfords are of no use whatsoever, save your money they don't work.

Look at your shoes and clothes and eliminate any man made fibres, natural materials do not cause static. Make a note each time you get a shock and see what clothes/shoes you are wearing at the time. I would guess that you will find a theme after a while and then you will just have to stop wearing that item or items.

[Bobdog]

I am actually involved in supplying anti-static items into the electronics industry and Bobdog has given a pretty good description of what is happening. The charge is occurring between you and the car, it is not the car alone. 9 times out of 10 it relates to your clothing and shuffling that you are doing on your seat, either your backside or your feet. You may not be doing anything different from past cars but the Yeti's fabrics, seats or carpets, may be different and so in your in seat shuffling is now being an issue.

Also take into account the fact that the weather is warming up, the air con is on and so the atmosphere inside the car is dry and susceptible to static. This should not in itself cause the problem but it will set the conditions up nicely if you are in polyester mix trousers/shirt etc.

Rubber strips from Halfords are of no use whatsoever, save your money they don't work.

Look at your shoes and clothes and eliminate any man made fibres, natural materials do not cause static. Make a note each time you get a shock and see what clothes/shoes you are wearing at the time. I would guess that you will find a theme after a while and then you will just have to stop wearing that item or items.

Told you - dump the bri-nylon shirts and change your shoes!

Smug grin :yes: Waits for grovelling apology :'( ; which will of course be graciously accepted and we can then be friends again

Edited 19 April, 2011 by Bobdog

[Auric Goldfinger]

So far we have only smart ass replies ... I dont wear nylon shirts, my shoes are leather soled and therefore have a high resistance ...

There must be someone out there with something sensible to write or is this not a helpful owners forum that I was led to beleive?

You need to speak to Brimma. or Mr Grumpy

[allena]

I have the same problem as BobMcL. And it effects both my wife and I, and at one and the same time, so I don't personally go with the clothing thing, because clearly the chances of us both always wearing something that causes the problem are quite unlikely.

I too have had the problem with most of the modern cars I've owned. I can vouch for the fact that holding the edge of the door (metal) as you get out, does stop it happening... I discovered that on a previous car. It's the only thing that I know of that will definitely work.

[Bobdog]

I have the same problem as BobMcL. And it effects both my wife and I, and at one and the same time, so I don't personally go with the clothing thing, because clearly the chances of us both always wearing something that causes the problem are quite unlikely.

I too have had the problem with most of the modern cars I've owned. I can vouch for the fact that holding the edge of the door (metal) as you get out, does stop it happening... I discovered that on a previous car. It's the only thing that I know of that will definitely work.

Sorry, but that is simply nonsense. Why should the fact that it happens to both of you in any way negate the validity of this theory? You both sit in the seats, you both put your feet on the carpets, you both (potentially) wear clothing and/or shoes made from synthetic fabrics, you both 'shuffle' in your seats. You can both build up the static charge.

[w4rn3r]

i used to get a pretty bad static charge from my citroen xsara a few years back, just learnt to live with it

[h0rr]

I have had this problem on many cars (not on my yeti though) and not only. I used so see sparks, on trying to enter a hotel room in a carpeted corridor in a hotel in Prague (and there were no girls involved). I blamed it on the carpet and it affected everyone staying at that hotel. The method I used was: use the room key to touch the door handle and even on daylight I could see sparks. I now use my house/car keys whenever the problem arises. I have noticed that it only happens during cold days.

[Bobdog]

Science for dummies ...

http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/static.html

http://www.physics.org/article-questions.asp?id=44

As Edmund Blackadder and I have both said; the charge is built up by friction between two materials rubbing together. The nature of the materials (synthetic) adds to the problem. Shoes with good insulating properties mean there is nowhere else for the charge to go. Dry, cold, dehumidified, air (as you'll get from a car's aircon) creates the perfect conditions .... ZING!!!

Dump the bri-nylon shirt (Mrs Allena needs to lose the crimplene skirt) and change your shoes. I'm not being flippant - I am genuinely offering good advice.

[EdmundBlackadder]

Bobdog is spot on with his advice. Do what he says and you will stop frying yourselves.

With reference to hotels we actually supply a number of hotels with an ESD carpet spray which they use regularly to stop guests frying from massive static charges. The problem with hotels is the carpets they put down, man made fibres so that they are hard wearing, and the high heating which dries the air and exacerbates the problem.

We are often contacted by architects who build wonderful stylish buildings, staircases are a classic, where design rules over practicality. One British Embassy built a glass staircase with a metal handrail. Esteemed guest would walk down the highly insulative glass, build up huge amounts of static and then touch the handrail at the bottom as they were due to shake hands with the ambassador. Cue huge spark, pain all round and a lot of embarrassment. Doh.

If people are not going to buy into the clothing/shoe answer, which is correct by the way, then the way to reduce the pain is as has been described. You have a build up of static charge and it needs to escape. If you get out of the car and then touch metal then the charge will jump to the car and you are quite likely to see sparks. You need to discharge the charge in a more gentle fashion. Hold the metal of the car door as you step out of it and then hopefully as you walk off you may discharge naturally in a more gentle fashion. A keyring pad is also a nice idea. These actions are however solving the issue after it has occurred. As always prevention is better than cure. CHECK THOSE CLOTHES, they really are the issue whether people want to accept it or not!

[CFB]

As you get out of the car hold onto something metal until your feet touch the floor, that should earth you and end the problem.

as said above by various posters.

i have had this problem with numerous cars and fitting an antistatic strip only reduces the shock for me.

my best advice is agreeing with those above.

hold a metal part of the car until you are out and feet on the floor.

this has solved it for me. only trouble now is remembering to do it! :wonder:

Edited 20 April, 2011 by YetiClive

[Bobdog]

Bobdog is spot on with his advice. Do what he says and you will stop frying yourselves.

With reference to hotels we actually supply a number of hotels with an ESD carpet spray which they use regularly to stop guests frying from massive static charges. The problem with hotels is the carpets they put down, man made fibres so that they are hard wearing, and the high heating which dries the air and exacerbates the problem.

Thanks for the support EdmundBlackadder. I have noticed that the Yeti carpets have that unmistakeable acrylic sheen (not exactly pure wool ) . Would the ESD spray you supply to hotels assist with the problem here? Would that be a cunning plan? Yours, Baldric.