I have a Question about the Overdrive Button on my 2000 DX 1.6 Auto Transmission Protege. Some people suggest usung it for Passing. Some people suggest leaving it ON ALL the time ? Someone told me if you don't leave it on ALL the time, your damaging your car. That does not sound right to me. Also, I'm almost sure you should not have it on OD when going in Reverse. I think my Protege Manual says it's for Passing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. The more info. I get the better. I don't want to damage my car by not using it. Thanks !

 

Ok, I have a 97 protege and i leave mine on all the time, before that had a 87 accord it also had the overdrive button on the shifter, and i also had it on all the time most cars that came after 85 with O/D trasmission had a button to turn it off or on., but defult possition is on. so you can leave it on, it wont do any damage to your transmission, about having it of on reverse unless you planning to drive 40 on reverse. I wont worry about it.

 

overdrive doesn't kick in until after you get up to about 45mph. it doesn't matter if you leave it on all of the time because the car will not use it until it needs it. it will not need it in reverse or any of the low gears.

overdrive just means that the wheels are turning faster than the motor. there are 4 gears with an electronic overdrive on your tranny. the ratios are kind of like this: wheels : motor 1:4 in first gear, 2:4 in second, 3:4 in third, 4:4 in fourth, and 5:4 in fifth. in other words, the motor is spinning 4 times faster than the wheels in first and so on up the line. fifth, in your car, doesnt really exist. it is just an electronic control called "overdrive" that doesn't take effect until "fifth gear" comes into play. so basically, if you have the overdrive button in all of the time, your motor will not use it until it needs it and it will not mess up the car to have it in all of the time.

 

OK. After I made my silly post, I went back & reread the manual. My misunderstanding was that when the Overdrive Light shows up on the dash, it is saying that Overdrive is OFF, not ON. I thought it meant it was ON. I need better glasses, I guess. So according to the Manual, you leave itON (light off)in most cases except when going up a steep hill. The guy who I bought my car explained it to meALL wrong. He said when you press the button & the Light goes on, it gives you additional horsepower for Passing, which I NOW understand is 100% incorrect. I'm leaving itON with the Light off. I think they (Mazda)made it confusing because the Light comes on when it's off, not when it's ON. I would think it would be the other way around. I wonder how many other people are driving around with the overdrive off & the LightON and think they are getting better mileage. LIGHT OFF ! PERIOD !