Do you guys with autos keep the O/D on all the time or just when you are in 4th. Does it save gas> Is turning it on and off all the time bad for the car?

 

i keep mine on all the time. I don't think it's bad if you switch back and forth, but when you are highway driving...it would be best to have your O/D button on. When racing, I turn mine off...

 

I keep the O/D on the whole time. Usually, I turn it off when I want to pass someone on the highway. It shouldn't be bad for your tranny.

 

When doing rush hour traffic on the highway, the O/D comes off, because the car will hunt between 3rd and 4th. Otherwise, it is on.

 

the overdrive button causes the tarnsmission to shift from 3rd to 4th gear. I usually keep OD off until i hit 40 and then engage it. When i am racing i keep it off. Since all it does is cause the transmission to shift, there is no reason that it would cause transmission damage, but make sure your revs are low enough to bein 3rd gear before you disengage it if youare planning on passing someone or speeding up quickly.

 

I keep the OD on all the time whether I'm racing or not. I tested it out before and didn't noticed any difference at all with it on or off.

 

I drive with it off in traffic because of what medicsonic said," it will hunt between 3 and 4". I think even the manual recommends not using o/d in traffic.

 

I keep it off until I reach a comfortable highway speed. Also off when I want to pass, but don't want to shove the gas to the floor.

[personal theory]
As far as it hurting the transmission...here's my say, which some have argued with before: When you take the car out of overdrive, you are only telling the computer that you would like for the car to downshift to 3rd. The transmission controls the timing of the shift, so it knows exactly how to shift without damage. Well, any high RPM shift is still hard on the transmission, but the computer can "mesh gears" much better then a human ever could. It's kinda like the shift from/to any other gear. The computer/transmission controls it all...your moving a button/gear selector does nothing the car doesn't know how to do properly. Now, I'm not saying it won't damage the engine by overrunning the RPMs.
[/personal theory]

 

yes! finally! (well, for me that is) i've been wondering about that darn O/D button. thanx a bunch guys for helping me and some others about that small button. now i know what to do.