You should leave the car in overdrive at all times, unless driving conditions dictate otherwise. The overdrive is intended to optimize fuel consumption.
Overdrive really wont affect you in a town or city, so you can just leave it on. On the highway, it helps reduce the strain on your engine, so just keep it on all the time.
I have a 2002 Accent with the overdrive button. The owners manual suggests that the switch should be engaged to have overdrive on all the time. However, I have found that since I do a great deal of stop and go driving the transaxle shifts and performs better with the overdrive off. The car isn't trying to put itself into overdrive every two seconds and makes for a smoother drive. Again this is mostly for heavier stop and go driving.
It's usually on all the time unless you press the button each time you start the car. I think that normally the overdrive kicks in around 45 MPH.
For most drivers, Overdrive should be used full time. Its designed to reduce the amount of effort the engine needs to maintain speed. Whenever a lot of shifting is taking place, its recommended to only used Drive. Roads with a lot of hills, curves, or heavy traffic areas should not use overdrive to prevent damage to the transmission. Also, disengage overdrive whenever towing. There is not enough torque generated by the engine to tow while in overdrive. Towing while overdrive is engaged can cause damage to the engine and transmission.
maybr the headgasket goes bad or slow. it will also cause the car to overheat all the time.
If it has overdrive use it! it is a "highway gear" it will make no difference what so ever until you get up to speed then it will shift into overdrive and save you gas!
The car is normally in overdrive. When you press the button the left side of the gear shift then there should be a light on your dashboard should come on saying o/d OFF.
Overdrive is basically the cruising gear. In a car with an automatic transmission, you can drive in OD all the time. You should be driving in OD anytime you are traveling over 40-45 MPH. (This is the speed at which your car will automatically) shift into OD if you have it placed in that gear to start with. OD saves strain on the transmission and I would speculate the drive train, also. Your car will coast more easily in OD and use less fuel. The only time I consider not using OD is when I am in town at speeds under 40 MPH.
If an automatic car is in off overdrive does it save fuel
I would use the overdrive during normal driving. How ever if you need that little extra power then i would just turn it off. haveing the overdrive on all the time during normal driving " not pulling a boat or another car" should save you a little gas. just think of your overdrive as a half gear need more power go to the full gear
the transmission is in overdrive I don't have overdrive in my car but look at your gearshift because the small button on it should be how you disengage the system