I just got back from about 150 mile round trip this evening. About 3 miles from my house, i noticed that my "overdrive off" light was on!!! I have no idea when i turned it off but lets say worst case, I had it off the whole trip (approx. 150 miles) Is this terribly bad??

 

The only thing it could possibly hurt is your gas mileage, that’s all.

 

JP's right... Your engine was running in a higher RPM range, that's all. More fuel consumed. No biggie.

And JP, your rippin' through sigs faster than I am these days!

 

My only complaint about my 2004 F150 is that it's waaaaay too easy to push in that overdrive off button.

 

There is a light on the instrument cluster that lets you know the overdrive is not engaged.

 

Yes, there is a light. But it's pretty hard to notice it when the sun is shining on the instrument cluster or there are reflections. I had the same thing happen to me on a recent trip to San Francisco (from Southern Cal). About 100 miles with overdrive off. Had a Rolling Stones CD blazing away on the stereo, window open, and did not notice the higher engine speed sound (cheap F150, no tach). Maybe I should listen to more classical music

 

Nah dont do that, sleeping at the wheel isnt good either.

Dan

 

FSTOP - Cheap 150, no tach.

NOTE: Not all 150s are without a tach. You must have a non-Lariat trim package ... tach comes standard on the Latriat trim ... but then everyone has their own level of necessary options.

 

The Wife has an XLT, and it has a tach...

 

Count the shifts. You should be able to feel five if the overdrive in on. 1st. 2nd, 3rd, then the torque converter locks up and then overdrive.

 

MAD-3R you are right ... it always pays to look at the Ford catalog ... only trim packages that DON't have a tach standard are the STX and XL. They both have plenty of room for one ... wonder why just those two trims are "tach-less" ... I guess that's a whole other thread.

 

My OD Off light comes on every so often. I finally determined that it was because my forearm hits the button sometimes when I am playing with the radio. I have progranmmed myself to look at the message center often. Plus, I know what the tach should be reading at various speeds.

Next time your light comes on I bet you had played with your radio, too.

 

That brings up another interesting point about the subject of this thread ... on the flow-through console (floor shifter) option the O/D button is on the console next to the gear shift grip and is more difficult to accidently press. Is this issue mainly with those who do not have the floor shifter package? Sounds like the O/D button is next to the radio. As a floor shifter option user I am having no problems with the O/D button getting accidently pressed. How about you other floor shifter users?

 

The OD button is on the column shifter. It's right on the end / tip. So if you are reaching your arm across to mess with the radio you could potentially hit it. Luckily I don't have that problem anymore because I purchased an aftermarket radio that just happens to have a remote. Now I can feel like I'm at home while I'm on the road, driving with remote in hand.

 

Just remember one thing about this OD OFF button--if you accidentally or purposefully turn the OD OFF...It will automatically come back ON each time you turn the ignition switch OFF.