overdrive button?

I've had a Maxima for a year and a month now. (1 year with a 92 maxima se, automagic, and 1 month with a 98 maxima se, also automagic) anyways, on both of my maximas Ive noticed the OD off button. What the hell does it do when its on or off? I've pressed it, and i've noticed that the car gets kind of heavier. I bet someone out there knows. Oh yeah is it better to have it in the off or on positon.

The way it as explained to me was that the overdrive is kinda like 5th gear in a manual...

Its the gear you use for better mileage/cruising...

Not sure if thats true tho... My friend had a 90something sentra automatic with overdrive... his owners manual said it was for extended periods of cruising i think...

I think it also said its not good to use it just driving around town *shrugs*

-Grendel

thanks for the reply. In maxima driver, under the how 2 pages, it says that for racing it is recommended that the OD button be off, but it gives no explanation. I wonder if it free's up hp or something.

Originally posted by redrum85
thanks for the reply. In maxima driver, under the how 2 pages, it says that for racing it is recommended that the OD button be off, but it gives no explanation. I wonder if it free's up hp or something.

Its probably because with overdrive off, the transmission isn't trying to use the "gas saver" gear or whatever it does...

I might be wrong, but just stomp the pedal from a green light with overdrive off, and then try it with overdrive on... I bet when you have overdrive off, it will take off quicker...

Not sure tho...

-Grendel

the overdrive puts you into 4th gear(known as the overdrive gear, in a maunal its the last gear, 5th) in your auto tranny for better mileage and less engine noise and all that driver comfort, when you turn it off by pushing it you stay in 3rd gear and that give you more power becasue of gear ratio. The down side is that you waste more gas. So when you are going to race someone make sure you turn O/D is off otherwise your car will slip into your 1 to 1 ratioed 4th gear adn you have less power. Hope that helps:D

What i know

i agree with that... all the overdrive does when you turn it off is give you more power...very simple. not good to have it off cruisn through town bc you'l waste your gas..i say turn it off when you aer gonna race someone.

I'm sure one of your 2 Maximas came with an owner's manual right ?

Overdrive button (ON position) lets you go into 4th gear, (OFF position) lets you go only upto 3 gears. Thats it. If you are driving in O/D OFF you are waisting gas.

ok, this isnt anything to do with wat the o/d button does, but i have a 97 and the damn thing doesnt work, its always in o/d. does any1 kno y its doin this or if any1 has had this prob and fixed it? any help would be good

well maxrx7, I got my 92 in an auction, so there was nothing in it to tell me about the car, and I bought my 98 at buena park nissan (great service!) but i didn't have the damn book either. But I love the car., Im still getting used to it though. Well anyways, these past few days i've had a few encounters with a cavalier, accord, and a monte carlo, I've turned of the OD off and needless to say, they all bit the dust. ;-)

Originally posted by redrum85
well maxrx7, I got my 92 in an auction, so there was nothing in it to tell me about the car, and I bought my 98 at buena park nissan (great service!) but i didn't have the damn book either. But I love the car., Im still getting used to it though. Well anyways, these past few days i've had a few encounters with a cavalier, accord, and a monte carlo, I've turned of the OD off and needless to say, they all bit the dust. ;-)

Heh, now if you could swap a manual trans in there, you would have even more fun messing with those guys :)

-Grendel