timmyl

Hi All,

A Maxima newbie, just wondering if the Overdrive should be ON all the time, or ON some of the time?

It seems that the default setting for my car (2000 GXE, auto)is Overdrive ON all the time. I actually have to turn it OFF manually with the button (light comes on the dash).

Also, does Overdrive effect your mileage?

Help a new guy would you?

timmyl

TommyBoiSxty9

What have you been driving? A 3-speed? LoL
Yeah... leave it on... Overdrive is 4th gear. The only time you'd ever want to shut it off is if you are towing a trailer and you need more power or your climbing a hill and your tranny start hunting (i.e. shifting between 3rd & 4th and can't make up its mind)
Leaving it on will better your gas mileage as well.
~tom

blackY2Kmax

There is one school of thought which I subscribe to which says that if you are driving in residential, city type traffic with a lot of stop-and-go under 40 mph, leave OD OFF. This will eliminate the gears trying to shifting up and down so often and reduce some of the hunting. In turn, this will reduce wear and tear and extend the life of your tranny. Otherwise, highway traffic and long spans of time over 40 mph, definitely have it on.

This is just my opinion as other people will have many others.

But this his how I drive and I get consistent gas mileage of about 21 mph (I live 10 miles from work and go through residential areas a lot - so not a lot of highway driving). Plus, when I do highway drive, I am pretty aggressive.

Just my $.02

Matt

maxrules

I agree with Matt on this one. After driving my GLE for 6 years now, sometimes the O/D doesn't kick out soon enough when I need a little more "oomph". At the same time, I don't want to kick it all the way down to 2nd either. If I'm cruising in town (45 mph or less), I've got it off.

PS - Congrats on the '00. I'm jealous.