Imagine that if your body still have that static charge and you open the gas cap and fill up the gas. And there is a bit of gas spill out .. BAM!!! one heck of explosion.I have a friend that added a conductive strap that drags on the ground, He says it work fine. GRIP
I use to have the same problem with my Maxima (leather seats). I found that the type of shoes I wear made the difference. I had a pair that has a hard foam like sole, which always created a static shock. But my rubber sole shoes have no problem.Scrib said:It's not just seats, but static charges can be induced by floor mats (rubber or cloth) and various types of soled shoes.
I use to have the same problem with my Maxima (leather seats). I found that the type of shoes I wear made the difference. I had a pair that has a hard foam like sole, which always created a static shock. But my rubber sole shoes have no problem.
The cell phone thing is a myth... however the biggest issue that results in ingury from a spark is when filling up the tank. The person sees a spark and from a natural reaction pulls the pump out of the car while still holding the pump lever! That causes gas to be sprayed and poured all over the place. Now you have a big problem.Eric L. said:One time on a drizzly San Francisco evening, I went to fill up the Maxima and as I brought the pump nozzle to the filler tube, a spark jumped from the nozzle to the gas cap door! I nearly had a heart attack, which I must say was preferrable to third degree burns!
To prevent static buildup, there are signs at gas stations which say do not get back in your car while filling up. There's also the myth about cell phones igniting gas fumes when they ring, that was debunked on Mythbusters.