This is my first automatic and I'm not sure what "overdrive" is. When I read the manual, it sounded like I should leave it on unless I was in stop and go traffic or going up hills. It wasn't too clear or I'm just brain farting.

Someone please help me with my question?

overdrive? wasnt that a horrible movie directed by Steven King?

noo wait, thats Maximum Overdrive...

It's just a stupid name for another gear in an automatic car. All automatics used to have just 3 gears, then they added a 4th and some marketing genius decided to call it overdrive cos it sounds sexy.

That's about it really. Leave it on, it only clicks in when you are cruising along.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

drive it in overdrive all the time. there's really no reason to switch. even in stop & go or on hills.

In the good old days when gas was cheaper, most auto trannys had three forward gears and third gear was direct drive or 1 to 1 ratio. Which means that if the engine is turning at 1,000 rpm the output shaft on the transmission is turning at 1,000 rpm. Then came the gas crunch and some bright light decided an extra overdriven gear would provide better fuel economy, so they added an extra gear which usually has a ratio of .70. Which means, if the engine is still turning at 1,000 rpm the transmission output shaft is now turning at about 1,400 rpm. Simply put, the engine turns at a lower rpm at a given speed which usually results in better fuel mileage. Use the overdrive position as much as possible but remember some engines can't pull the gear in hilly terrain and will downshift into a lower gear.

(shamelessly stolen from some web site)

AKA as just another gear...use it if you can if not ok...all it does it gives better gas millage, depending on the traffic that you drive in. It may not be able to handle it in rough terrain or in heavy stop and go traffic. Yet every car I have ever owned has been a manual (better gas milleage overall), but my dad says that he never see's a real big difference between overdrive and drive on his Buick which is an automatic or my moms van which is an automatic. Hope this helps.