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By duke975, September 29, 2004



I have a 2001 Corolla LE and wanted to know how the O/D (overdrive) setting affects the car? In terms of performance and gas mileage. For the past 3 years, I mostly shut it off, because it is on initially when starting the car. In the rare cases that I switch it on, it seems to help in acceleration (on city streets) and keeping the RPMs down from 3K to 2K at highway speeds. I put O/D on once, while merging onto a highway and accelerating, and the car barely moved.

  • 1,424 posts

O/D is fine for everday use. It's more effecient. Actually, I believe that the owner's manual suggests you leave it on all of the time, unless the transmission is shifting between third and fourth gear excessively. (like on a hilly road) Leaving it on won't hurt the car. Personally, I'd just leave it on.

For the past 3 years, I mostly shut it off, because it is on initially when starting the car.

Over drive should be set to whatever the last setting was on the car. If you push the button in (no amber O/D display in cluster) then overdrive is engaged. Otherwise - when you see O/D indicated - then overdrive is disengaged.

 

I agree with the99contour - you generally should leave it on all the time for maximum fuel economy, For the cases where the transmission is hunting between third and fourth gears, need engine compression (engine braking) for decending steep hills, or for more control (gear wise) during towing - you can switch it off.

Guest jjb2222000

Essentially you've been driving around only using 3 gears because when O/D is off you cannot get into 4th gear. This is fine for driving around town but at highway speeds 55+ you're revving 3rd gear a lot more then you need to and simultaneously killing your gas mileage. Next time you're driving on the highway at 75 mph or so turn on the O/D and watch your RPM's drop!

Dai_Shan

yes you definlty want your O/D ON. Read your manual...i think it even recommends not changing in/out on the fly(at high speeds) i could be wrong.

But you definilty want it enabled! (unless your towing a boat...or going up steep hills at like <60mph)

Guest toyotacorollafx

overdrive is to safe gas on highways/freeways, not city streets or stop and go traffic. Try using it on the freeway only when theres not traffic and u'll get much better mpg



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