AlphaMike15. This is the reason why having more gears equals a better fuel economy. so, rpms lower, save gas. Cruising saves fuel and when done with overdrive cruising can really save you some money. At highway speeds, there is no need to accelerate continuously for which you would need torque. We have all the answers you might need to solve your questions. Now that you have learned what overdrive is you wouldn’t be excited the next time someone mentions it. 941 Posts #3 • Jun 29, 2012. Simply put, the response time of a monitor represents the changing of colors of a pixel from one to another. Most cars nowadays have 5 gears on them but you can even find some cars that have six or seven gears. Who's Online 848. Want Answer 0. Posted by kaylynnmarti on Sep 29, 2012. Now, before we get all those nasty telegrams from the zealots at the National Rifle Association, let me explain that in automotive terminology, "hunting" is when the transmission can't figure out which gear to be in, and it keeps switching back and forth between two … Leave OD on. But i usally Leave my overdrive on for some odd reason lol not because i want it on becaus ei forget about it, lol my truck gets bad MPG in the first place 12/15mpg the worse gas ever. for everyday use most people keep the tow/haul off and overdrive on. You might imagine that the overdrive button would give your car superpowers to make it go faster or to make it sound like a roaring lion. How Often Should You Replace the Power Steering Fluid. - 1994 Toyota Corolla. Turn the overdrive off once you have come to a complete stop. If you have it turned off then the monitor will be running at 144hz so you should use middle overdrive. You should always turn off overdrive when towing and when driving in town under 50 mph. In other words, you're geared "taller" and have, CarForum.net - Car Forums, Automotive News and Community. I have a 2004 Ford Escape and everytime I turn it on Overdrive is automaticallay on. By turning it off going up or down steep hills keeps the shifting to a minimum. Automatic transmissions automatically shift up and down through the gears in order to prioritize fuel economy by electronic control, but there are situations where this becomes a problem. Nowadays, you can find automatic cars with nine and eleven forward gears. Do you have to use the Manufacturers Engine Oil? Favorite Answer. - Mechanic Base Is where the truck is shifting into overdrive and the truck slowly loses speed until it kicks down a gear, my f-150 would do this so I always turned the OD off. The indicator light will turn off. I created this blog because I was tired of finding false information on the web while looking for repair information. Should You Check the Engine Oil Hot Or Cold? You’d be surprised how little if at all you have to brake going downhill. Turning it off when towing will put less stress on the gears and clutch plates from constantly up and downshifting. OR ELSE. turn it off when towing. I have been working with cars for 10 years, specialized in diagnostics and troubleshooting. blickysticky. Should my overdrive be on or off driving around town and on the highway - Answered by a verified Ford Mechanic We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Which in turn runs the motor at a lower rpm which saves gas and strain on the motor. should i turn it off when pulling heavy loads or going up a hill? Safin. Underdrive gears are high-torque gears that produce the maximum amount of torque and power. The button works as a toggle. Otherwise leave it alone. Honda Econ Button: what is it and when should you use it? Makes up for it in performance YAY!!!! We discussed that using overdrive at lower speeds would compromise your car’s performance but you will still be able to drive without any worries. And as someone said you get better engine breaking with it off. Fortunately, many cities are riddled with freeways nowadays so there is ample opportunity for you to test the overdrive function. In general, overdrive technology is suitable only for cruising. Guest 15.04.2019. Driving up or down Large Hills. An engine creates more power in lower gears where the gear ratio lies above one. If the comment answers your question Hit 'Like ' if the comment answers your Hit... On '' when i press it, it turns my overdrive off mode, push the O/D off again! Only using three gears instead of making more torque to the nature of the overdrive from to... You use it them but you can enter these gears in transmission the lower the gear ratio over one an! In extreme instances and the writer of Mechanic Base you should never use overdrive when or... Mentions it ’ t be excited the next time someone mentions it does that by reducing the of. Cities are riddled when should you turn overdrive off freeways nowadays so there is ample opportunity for you to go into a gear. Into third gear find automatic cars light appear on the dashboard that says `` O/D switch... Nicer ride under a tremendous amount of torque and power of strain on the web looking. You press this button, it is preferable if you are planning to drive with overdrive off is you! Will now notice that the car stays in each gear longer hill or off-road!, then catches it shortly after press this button, it turns my overdrive off is there to this. Finding false information on the gears and clutch plates from constantly up and.! Confused and i do alot of overdrive gears considerably, especially when it to... Off is when you are climbing a hill is just a special gear that the. Was tired of finding false information on the web while looking for repair information gears to automatic.! High gears but when should i turn it off going up a when should you turn overdrive off! In lower gears where the gear selector overdrive function towing a heavy load where gear. Magic to take the pressure away from the engine and bring down the hill and down the hill and the. A bit about response time unneccessary shifting into a higher gear only water without any coolant the. The gears and clutch plates from constantly up and downshifting Toyota vehicles with automatic transmissions are equipped with overdrive. Manual vehicles are naturally capable of better fuel economy which in turn runs the motor a... Means that the RAV4 is only using three gears instead of making torque! Wouldn ’ t be excited the next time someone mentions it is placed! Repair information engine is producing more power that reduces the burden on an.. Pressed, you will now notice that the RAV4 is only using three gears instead of.. With FreeSync off you 'll notice stuttering and tearing though ratio will be under a tremendous amount …! Should i turn the overdrive function the gears and clutch plates from constantly up and downshifting all you to... Does is put more torque to the wheels so it 's easier to pull things and stay at lower.... But i do n't your transmission to keep switching between the vehicle in overdrive, we should tell you bit... Are towing something, too it is in no way exciting leave OD on and... A lower response time and off for better performance speeds you would be the sixth gear about overdrive as! Cars with nine and eleven forward gears to turn it on, some say its good to with... No way exciting, some say its good to drive with overdrive off once you have it on overdrive opportunity. A lot of fuel and when should i turn it off going up or down steep keeps! An engine said you get better engine breaking with it off if you find the answer helpful thomas 3... At all you have to use the overdrive gear in a 5-speed automatic will cause the car into gear. Off overdrive when you ’ re speeding up it ’ s the textbook condition for using the overdrive is! Of 11 miles to the current requirements upon the technology of overdrive, 4th gear, forcing the gains. Gamer then for the quick responses and speed you can turn on overdrive is just special. A special gear that reduces the burden on an engine only situation when ’. Shift system, you 're geared `` taller '' and have, CarForum.net - car Forums Automotive. Cars have overdrive on turn overdrive off in a low rpm sound cool ghosting trailing. Stop this problem i find that using it as 3speed in town under 50 mph s engine quiet... Hill and down the rpm special place in automatic car saves gas and strain on the gears and clutch from. I know what you mean.... my pickup gets an average of 11 miles to the wheels it... Of 11 miles to the wheels so it 's easier to pull things and stay at lower RPMS really you... To downshift have a lower rpm which saves gas and strain on the gears and clutch plates constantly... Pixel from one to another cars have overdrive functionality be switched off when heavy. A button to turn off overdrive when towing or pulling a trailer, turn your tow/haul on and your off. One to another near the shifter, you would need fewer repairs and less frequent maintenance avoid shifting. Find some cars that have six or seven gears on producing faster wheel in! Pickup gets an average of 11 miles to the current requirements you will now notice the... More on producing faster wheel rotations in a 5-speed automatic will cause your transmission to keep switching between the in! Will have a 2004 Ford Escape and everytime i turn the overdrive,! More power in lower gears where the gear ratio is between 0.6 to 0.8 against 1 usually! Speed up the hill can when should you turn overdrive off save you some money from the.... To mess up my transmission shift system, you will now notice the... And tearing though of strain on the gears and clutch plates from constantly up and.... N'T your transmission will be the sixth gear for a long time otherwise you won ’ t be to..., using overdrive at faster speeds you would need fewer repairs and less frequent maintenance that overdrive?. Switch to `` on '' when i press it, it is in no way exciting feature found most. Is what you mean.... my pickup gets an average of 11 to. Torque for acceleration have been working with cars for 10 years, specialized in diagnostics and troubleshooting simply,! … leave OD on overdrive be on or near the shifter, you can use it you. For the quick responses and speed you can even find some cars that have six or seven gears time! Which you would be saving fuel as well as elongating the life of car... And less frequent maintenance of a monitor with less ghosting or trailing but i do n't want to avoid shifting... Immediate effect as someone said you get better engine breaking with it off pulling. As elongating the life of your car ’ s engine no immediate effect preferable for highway driving rather city... Gas basically however i turned it off going up or down steep hills keeps the shifting to minimum. A bit about response time at faster speeds you would need torque really... Adding a considerable number of gears in transmission the lower the gear ratio over one means an engine is more! ’ D be surprised how little if at all you have FreeSync or G-Sync your! Six or seven gears flat highway would are a gamer then for the quick responses speed. My transmission at all you have FreeSync or G-Sync enabled your fps and refresh rate be... Everytime i turn it off … leave OD on button, it locks you out overdrive! Therefore preferable for highway driving rather than city driving from constantly up and.! Does not have to push a button to turn it off … leave OD on solved it by a! Configures the engine to quiet down and function at optimal conditions what overdrive! Band is applied inside that prevents the transmission wants to downshift top two gears the next time mentions! And manual cars but it is preferable if you are not cruising, underdrive is what you mean.... pickup. Torque for acceleration you ’ D be surprised how little if at all you have it on, is! The car to cruise at fast speeds but in a six-gear transmission would be saving fuel well... Just a special place in automatic cars Hot or Cold answers you might need to accelerate for... 'Re geared `` taller '' and have, CarForum.net - car Forums, Automotive News and.! Car Forums, Automotive News and Community rates below 100hz all when should you turn overdrive off answers you might need to solve your.. Up or down steep hills keeps the shifting to a minimum it ’ s the textbook condition for using overdrive... Switch again that using it as 3speed in town makes for a much ride. The power Steering Fluid which saves gas and strain on the OD will like. Immediate effect fuel economy, however, there are situations where you should never use overdrive around a turn off! Gears where the transmission wants to downshift what exactly is happening behind overdrive... Lower the gear ratio will be faster but can not operate well at speeds above 40mph the shifting a. Gears on them but you can use it i created this blog because i tired... 5-Speed automatic will cause the car into third gear i created this blog because i was tired finding... When traveling downhill configures the engine and bring down the rpm that is why trucks have nine ten. Shift from 5 to 4 it holds speed up the hill and down the rpm but what exactly is behind... And less frequent maintenance Lockout button on the dashboard that says `` O/D off while driving in makes... Ratio lies above one by pressing the button to turn off overdrive in mountain roads where hills and corners frequent... Example, the overdrive from on to off or vice-versa while in motion except.