New to overdrive...please help

[Michelle5480]

This is the first time I've had a car that automatically turns on the overdrive. I usually drive stick shift and the cars Ive had dont have overdrive. Is it harmful to the car to drive it in overdrive all the time. Sometimes I forget and drive it like that. I tried to find any info in the manual but it doesnt help much. Any answers are greatly appreciated.

[IN MY]

Keeping it "on" so that it lights up on the dash will give you better gas mileage. You might want to turn it off in bad weather, going down steep hills and when braking hard. You will notice the "shift" when you turn it on or off. The trans. will shift to that gear while you drive as you drive. You don't need to turn it off when passing or speeding. You should keep it on all the time.

[Michelle5480]

What do you mean when you say turning it "on", isnt it already on when you start the E?

When it lights up on the dash it says its off.

Uh oh now Im confused........

[Anonymous]

Michelle you are right when i E is turned on it is automatically in overdrive. when you hit the button and it lights up OVERDRIVE OFF that means it is off

[BoomerGer]

And......overdrive ON means better gas mileage. sLIGHTLY LESS POWER, BUT YOU WON'T CARE ABOUT THAT!

Ger

[Michelle5480]

Yeah I noticed that with the overdrive on it seems to run at lower RPM's. Which to me means less gas is being wasted.

I was told by a friend that if I keep driving with the overdrive on in low gears that it will mess up my trans. I asked him if it will mess up my trans why would Honda make it so that it turns on when you start the car instead of having it off when you start it. He says that its probably a conspiracy so that the trans will mess up and all E owners will have to purchase new ones. Hmmmmm.....................................

Thats why I decided to ask what others think. :wink:

[N_Jay]

Originally Posted by Michelle5480

Yeah I noticed that with the overdrive on it seems to run at lower RPM's. Which to me means less gas is being wasted.

I was told by a friend that if I keep driving with the overdrive on in low gears that it will mess up my trans. I asked him if it will mess up my trans why would Honda make it so that it turns on when you start the car instead of having it off when you start it. He says that its probably a conspiracy so that the trans will mess up and all E owners will have to purchase new ones. Hmmmmm.....................................

Thats why I decided to ask what others think. :wink:

My suggesting is not to aks that friend for financail advice either.

Some people just don't UNDERSTAND everything they KNOW!

Leave it in NORMAL, (Overdrive on, "OVERDRIVE OFF" light off) unless you specifically need it to not use top gear.

The OD is not "ON" as much as it is "available" for the trans to select when needed.

[Michelle5480]

Thanks, that really helps. It was so hard to remember to turn it off when I start it and turn it back on after I go 40 mph. Then turn it off and on and off and on.

[BoomerGer]

Originally Posted by Michelle5480

Thanks, that really helps. It was so hard to remember to turn it off when I start it and turn it back on after I go 40 mph. Then turn it off and on and off and on.

Do we have a blonde here?

Ger

[paulj]

How does the friend's advise compare with what the manual says?

There was a time, some thirty years ago or more, when overdrive was an addon to the transmission, and there was a fear that overusing it would wear it out. But those days are long gone, and anyone who repeats such ideas is passing on old-husband's tales.

paulj