Overdrive Button

[rw0640]

Anyone else with an automatic that finds this fun? Supposedly its for towing...

 

[Mustang Willis]

what do you mean?? i thought overdrive was so it downshifts while going up a hill...

 

[Pony08]

The overdrive gear is essentially your last gear. Pressing the button to turn it off simply makes your car shift out of it and eliminate that gear. For example my car has a 5 speed transmission the 5th gear being the overdrive gear so if I pressed my button while I'm in 5th gear it would downshift me to 4th. The higher overdrive gear is a higher ratio to give you better gas mileage and you usually want to be in your highest gear on the highway and such. If you want acceleration turn it off but your car should downshift on it's own if you step on the gas hard enough.

At least this is what I always knew it as. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Mustang Willis]

sounds right to me

 

[jewele]

yes my car has one. i keep it on all the time. i can always tell when its off because my car has less power.

 

[88slowmarro]

The overdrive gear is essentially your last gear. Pressing the button to turn it off simply makes your car shift out of it and eliminate that gear. For example my car has a 5 speed transmission the 5th gear being the overdrive gear so if I pressed my button while I'm in 5th gear it would downshift me to 4th. The higher overdrive gear is a higher ratio to give you better gas mileage and you usually want to be in your highest gear on the highway and such. If you want acceleration turn it off but your car should downshift on it's own if you step on the gas hard enough.

At least this is what I always knew it as. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

you are right ,but its also there if your in a mountain area or the trans is constantly shiftin so ya save on wear and taer on it

 

[rw0640]

I know the main thing is it cuts off the final gear, but I've also noticed that the other gears feel like they have a little bit more torque and stay at higher rpms longer. I think thats why the manual suggest it could be used for towing.

 

[Ghostly Echo]

I know the main thing is it cuts off the final gear, but I've also noticed that the other gears feel like they have a little bit more torque and stay at higher rpms longer. I think thats why the manual suggest it could be used for towing.

you travel higher in the rpms, and you get a little bit more kick i use it in the off position and manual shift the gears when people try to get around me after tail gating me onto the highway