How do I know overdrive is engaged?

I've had my 2002 Taco, 2.4, for about a week. Just wondering about the overdrive button.How do know it's on? How would I realize it's NOT on? Is it possible for the OD button to go on the fritz and become non-functional?

 

IIRC the button turns it off.

Cruise at a steady speed like 50, and press the button. RPM should rise and there may be a light on the dash that comes on.

The owners manual should have details. Assuming you don't have one, a free one is here. https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/owners-manuals

 

Seems to change shift points on my '97 3.4, you can tell when it holds a gear longer than usual that it's off.

 

Turn it off when towing, that way you have a more consistent torque pattern with higher rpms.

That being said, to turn off the OD, like said, hit the highway at 65 or so and press the button- rpms should raise some. Most people don't think it's working primarily since they don't understand it's function.

Here's how I explain it: overdrive is kinda an extra gear to save gas, so if you have 5 gears, it will bump to a 6th (overdrive), which lowers rpms for highway speeds and matches the engine to transmission power ratios. When you see the ECO mode on some newer cars, that's basically the same concept- you're in overdrive. People turn it off so they remain in the standard gears- primarily because overdrive can't provide reasonable power. So depending on the truck....Tow/haul turns off overdrive and increases rpm. In my dodge, I have both, Tow/haul which still has the overdrive gear but the rpm band is higher- and it also has the ability to turn off OD which also increases the rpm band.

 

Also, in an automatic, turning off OD on a long downgrade helps control speed with less braking, and before shifting down to D2.

 

The OD button (on the shifter) doesn't change the shift points (that's the ECT button), it restricts the trany from going into overdrive (top gear). With the OD on, the trany/torque converter might hunt for gears, and pushing the button with restrict that and keep it in the lower gear.

 

OD is generally any gear ratio below 1:1. Your truck will only use it during 'cruise' modes. So as above, get up to speed, steady pedal, and hit the button. The RPM will rise a bit.

 

48 and still learning new stuff. I love this forum! Any problem with just leaving it in OD? You can tell I don't drive AT's very often.

 

Leave the OD on (button in the "off" position) for most driving. I will use the OD when I'm on a hill (up or down). If I'm climbing a hill, it'll eventually downshift. Then you let off the gas because you will accelerate, then it will upshift, then it starts to bog and it'll downshift again. It's just hunting for gears at this point. So just force it to stay in the lower gear (OD off) for the remainder of the hill.

When I'm going down a hill, I'll hit the OD to help control my speed and not ride the brakes.

I mentioned the ECT button earlier. That's the "ECT Power" button (Electronically Controlled Transmission) and what it's *supposed* to do is rev higher before shifting. I remember playing around with it a LONG time ago and I could never really tell a difference. I usually forget it's even there.

 

Like jbrandt said. Another scenario is if you are climbing a steep hill in the mountains and you have to momentarily let off the gas to navigate around slower traffic. You don't want the transmission to shift up then immediately have to shift down again whenever you let off the gas a little. If you can maintain your desired speed and acceleration with the transmission in overdrive, then there's no need to disengage it.

 

anybody know the lightbulb size for the o/d on the instrument cluster? 96 tacoma

 

Is there an indicator light on the dash for OD? I just realized mine has the button in the shifter, duh…

 

Never mind, I see it now✔️