chidrock

Which is better for your car in the long run? I do a lot of stop and go driving when I go to work and I've heard that overdrive is bad for your transmission if you're not cruising at a high speed. A friend of mine had an S10 (4 cyl pickup) and he had a lot of transmission problems with it. I know it was a small engine for the pick up as compared to the 6 cylinder for the Mustang, but I want my car to last. I had a Sebring convertible before this with a v6 and I think it had a built in overdrive that you didn't see. (looking into that one now) I never had any transmission problems with it, so I don't know what to believe.

Anybody know what's up with O/D? Any opinions? Or am I just thinking too much about it...

chidrock

okay, better yet...I just read the manual, and it says to turn the overdrive off when in city traffic or when the car is switching in and out of overdrive frequently. Anyone know how to tell if it's switching in and out of overdrive frequently?

SpecterGT260

I dont think it really matters, I used to have an automatic toyota. 150k miles on it, and the over drive button was in constantly. I never had any problems. Ull probably have something else put the car out before the overdrive does.

jasontio

Well in city driveing you should turn it off will save some wear on your OD. But now days most people don't worry about it. Just don't romp on it all the time thats how you kill OD.

chidrock

I just wanted to get it right because the road I take to work every day is a small highway. There's lights on it that are spaced apart decently, but my speeds will be going up and down. I wasn't sure if I'm getting it in and out of that speed where the OD kicks in. I don't abuse the car or anything, so I guess I'll be fine. It's not like the stop and go of driving in NYC.

Thanks!

gabeh1018

i sometimes just drive around the surrounding towns in my neighborhood... which involves a good amount of stop and go driving... should i turn the overdrive off when i do that

Hambone

OK--my opinion (for what it's worth )

Leave it ON and let the car/computer decide!

Notible exceptions---

----when you're traveling in the mountains and you want to use the lower gear/engine to slow you as you go DOWN (to save your breaks, prevent overheating, etc.)

----when you are wanting to feel "more performance" when driving around town

jasontio

Good points and now days that works good casue your computer does do most of the work to help save wear. Now most of the time in city driving if you are puting along in 0D at say like 40 everytime you give it any more gas you will allways have to wait for it to downshift back to 3. So for the feel it's nice to turn it off in the city when you are crusieing at slower speed so it's not allways shifting all the time.

MRock

When the Green Dash OD light is on you are in 4th gear. With the light off the trans will shift through all 5 gears and stay in 5th at crusing speed.

TheWillofDeath

I dont really understand the overdrive function.

:\ Can someone break my brain with info? Itd be appreciated.