The "overdrive" button in a car

bacon333

Senior member
Mar 12, 2003
524
0
0
what does it do? is it the 5th gear? I heard you turn it on when you hit 50 mph or so and it saves gas. From what I noticed it always lowers the rpm when it's on. so why not leave it on all the time? does it mess up the transmission?
 

40Hands

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2004
5,042
0
71
yes its another gear

Edit: oh i didnt see the "button" part of the topic....ive seen cars with an over drive shift posistion which is a fancy name for a higher gear then the reg. drive
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
This has been discussed here before but what the button does is it prevents the transmission from shifting to a higher gear. Although this lowers mileage, it helps out when you need more power like when you are climbing a hill.
 

MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
66
91
Originally posted by: Doggiedog
This has been discussed here before but what the button does is it prevents the transmission from shifting to a higher gear. Although this lowers mileage, it helps out when you need more power like when you are climbing a hill.

he is refering to it the other way, as in he always has it off.

MIKE
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?
 

spunkz

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2003
1,467
0
76
Originally posted by: notfred
Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?

well there are a lot of automatic cars that don't have an overdrive button, so the list of cars that im sure he knows how to operate is still a good number. i'm licensed to drive a manual but i don't know exactly how everything works.

i agree that you should know what is in your own car, but if a car company decides to add a new button or feature, why should you be required to know what it does or how it works?
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?

You're exaggerating. That button is not necessary to operate the car for most people's every day use.

I can't imagine a situation ever happening where 4 people in a car accident die and the officer arriving at the scene says, "If only they knew how to use the overdrive button."
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Plus the obvious bleeding fact that a lot of cars don't even have it.
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Oh by the way, most cars come with an OWNERS MANUAL that describe features like that. When getting a car, read through it and find out about all these little features among other useful information like where the spare tire is, where the fuse panel is, and the maintenance requirements.


...otherwise you'll be the automotive equivilent of the guy that puts notes in the floppy drive to send email.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?

not all cars have this feature, mine DOES NOT so unless you memorize every detail about EVERY car you wouldent know
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?

not all cars have this feature, mine DOES NOT so unless you memorize every detail about EVERY car you wouldent know

RTFM
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
Originally posted by: DougK62
Leave your button "on" all the time.

I agree.. it saves mileage, and for the most part, who cares.
putting the gas pedal 1/4 or 1/3 of the way down puts it into the next gear down most commonly anyways.
 

UnatcoAgent

Diamond Member
Oct 25, 1999
5,462
1
0
Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: notfred
It's pathetic that you can get a driver's license and not know this.

Why? It's not really that important of a function of the car. It certainly doesn't affect the way people drive.

Most people just leave it on all the time anyway.

Maybe I'm jsut wierd, but I think that to be licensed to operate a vehicle, you should have to know how to operate it.

Would you fly on a plane on which the pilot said, "What does that red button over there do? I guess it's not important since the plane can fly without pushing it..."?

not all cars have this feature, mine DOES NOT so unless you memorize every detail about EVERY car you wouldent know

RTFM

Haha rtfm, brings me back to Tribes 1.