What is the function of having the overdrive on or off the only thing I have noiticed is faster take offs and higher RPM revs with it off. Someone told me to keep it off when I'm just riding around town under 40 MPH to help "save" gas is this true. And to turn it on when I'm on the highway 50 MPH or above. What about the saving gas or I just need to know what it is. Thank You William.

 

The ONLY thing that od button does is allow you to get into 4th gear. If for some strange reason you want to drive around in 3rd gear, turn it off.

 

Mine is always on unless I'm in heavy traffic or racing. It's basically 4th gear. Doesn't affect take offs, 1/4 miles time or anything like that. If anything, I would think it wastes more gas having it off since the engine is revving higher.

 

I thought that with the OD off the rpm is higher and you are in 3rd gear and thus you do get better take off's but you do sacrifice the gas mileage on the car. And supposedly the high reving isn't good b/c it puts more work on the engine... is that true?

 

On the Maxiam it really doesn't matter which position you have the O/D in. It just adjusts at what levekl and such the car shifts at, and does give you a little bit bett acceleration, but it isn't all that noticable on the Maxima, at least not in my Mom's 2K at least.

On my sister's Sentra though, in town you want it off as it has really poor acceleration otherwise. . .

 

on 3rd gens, with the overdrive off it keeps you from shifting into the last gear. by not shifting you can ride your rps and gain that extra speed, it's not great for MPG, but it'll let you go faster, when you're about to redline, you can turn on O/D and, wow! another gear for you to use!

 

If you're going less than 40-45 mph, leave it off. If you're in traffic and speeds fluctuate, you'll be constantly shifting from 3rd to 4th gear. Gas mileage will not increase dramatically. If you're in 3rd gear going around 3000 rpm vs 4th gear at around 1900 rpm, the injectory duty cycle will be equivalent. Leaving it off will make the transmission shift less, so your planetary gears and torque converter will have less strain.

 

The OD button has nothing to do with acceleration!!!!!
All it does is lockout 4th gear. Period. From like 50 you have better throttle response only because your in 3rd gear and no downshift is required. From a dead stop it has no bearing on acceleration till 4th gear is required at 120+.

 

I don't know if it has anything to do with accel on a Maxima, but it does change the gearing on a Sentra. . . If you drive one you notice a big difference.

 

If its an OD off switch I find it hard to believe that it does anything but keep you from getting to OD. It doesnt change gear ratios and wide open throttle acceleration should be the same. Read your manual, most of them tell you to lock out OD when towing or at times when transmission is hunting between gears. When towing you can't use OD usually because every time you give it some gas it would downshift to 3rd so you lock it out to leave it in 3rd.

 

I don't drive her car all that often for obvious reasons, I just know the car has no get up with it on. . . I'll check the manuel next time I see her though.

 

Break it down for me please when to turn on or when to turn off,or just leave it on all the time,I have little traffic down here and I will never use my Max as a tractor trailer to pull anything

 

I would keep it on all the time. It won't give you any better gas milkage or anything and I don't really see any advanage to keeping it off in a Maxima.

 

Normal relaxed driving leave it alone........If you sportin along and dont want the thing shifting down to 3rd every time you accelerate then lock it out. I repeat that all it does is prevent the transmission from going into 4th gear which is soo tall that its just for cruising and getting top fuel economy. I like to lock it out on busy 2-3 lane roads at 30 -60 mph so when I hit the throttle it goes without downshifting.

 

Just chillin, KEEP OVERDRIVE ON...save urself some gas and money. If you want better accel at HIGH SPEEDS (40+) then turn it off until you hit redline. Won't effect you off the line either way.

PJ

 

It shouldn't make a difference. The shift maps on Nissan's are the same regardless if OD is on or off.