07 Solara Conv. Electric shock??? Anyone else?

[forgivengirl02]

Hi,

I am new here, I have been desperately searching the web for more info on my new car, a 2007 Solara Convertible. I needed a bigger car since I had another baby, and my 2005 Mustang convertible just wasn't working. It was fine when it was just my 4 yr old son, he didn't need that much room and was in a booster, but the carseat was a huge problem. Anyways, the Solara seemed to be a great solution for me since I was unwilling to give up the convertible feature, and it has TONS of room with a huge truck.

Well since buying it two months ago it seems to have several quirks. First there is a funny thumping noise that seems to come from the trunk, it's hard to back up and see with the rear headrests and my 5'4" frame. But the biggest problem is that a few times I have turned the car off and gotten out and felt a slight shock when putting my hand on the door for support. The first few times I wrote it off to being my imagination or some quirk from sliding my feet on the carpet or something. But today it happened again and there was a definite, and painful electric shock, to the point where my hand still hurts. I called the dealer and they acted like I was crazy.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I've read here that the thumping noises and backing up issues are problems for everyone but I didn't see anything about being shocks. Let me know! Thanks!

[PXLpainter]

Do you have an SE with cloth seats? Sounds like static. Never happens in my SLE with leather.

[Laney]

I don't have any guess about the noise in the trunk, but I agree that shocks are likely from static.

I have cloth seats, and since putting sheepskins on the seats a couple weeks ago, the shocks are extreme!

Next time you are ready to get out of the car, try this -- with the door open, look over to the left, and down at the left side at the back part of the car where the door latches when it's closed. There's a U-shaped unpainted hook there for the door to latch into when the door is closed.

BEFORE you slide across the seat, hook one finger, or your thumb, into the U, and leave it there until you're out of the car. If you don't get shocked that time, it's been static.

Keeping your finger on the hook lets the static run down into the car body as you move across the seat, and not build up in your body, so there's no shock.

I have to do that everytime I get out of the car, or I get zapped. It's a small price to pay since I love the sheepskins.

If what I'm describing doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll post a picture of the latch hook.

The back-up issue is a big thing, and worse for me since my last car was much shorter. I put blind spot mirrors on both of the side view mirrors, and that's helped me a lot.

[saxman28]

Originally Posted by forgivengirl02

Hi,

I am new here, I have been desperately searching the web for more info on my new car, a 2007 Solara Convertible. I needed a bigger car since I had another baby, and my 2005 Mustang convertible just wasn't working. It was fine when it was just my 4 yr old son, he didn't need that much room and was in a booster, but the carseat was a huge problem. Anyways, the Solara seemed to be a great solution for me since I was unwilling to give up the convertible feature, and it has TONS of room with a huge truck.

Well since buying it two months ago it seems to have several quirks. First there is a funny thumping noise that seems to come from the trunk, it's hard to back up and see with the rear headrests and my 5'4" frame. But the biggest problem is that a few times I have turned the car off and gotten out and felt a slight shock when putting my hand on the door for support. The first few times I wrote it off to being my imagination or some quirk from sliding my feet on the carpet or something. But today it happened again and there was a definite, and painful electric shock, to the point where my hand still hurts. I called the dealer and they acted like I was crazy.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I've read here that the thumping noises and backing up issues are problems for everyone but I didn't see anything about being shocks. Let me know! Thanks!

Hi,

any shock being received by any metal in your car is due to a "Floating Ground". A voltmeter will verify that at the location you are receiving the shock. Wet or sweaty hands will amplify the shock in that same location.
The remedy is to ground out that location and find the connection that is associated with that part of the vehicle. The connection needs to be more secure.

Alan Russell

[creightonchang]

I don't have a Solara but I do have a 07 tundra. I am having the same problem with the static shock when I leave the vehicle. I don't know why is happening and did notify the dealer. He told me he did have a problem like that on a different vehicle too but not on the Toyota. At least I'm not crazy as everyone else think I am. They all say its in me.

Creighton