I have a 98 Automatic. I have been told by more than one person that I should ALWAYS turn the overdrive off when driving around town. And that they only time I should engage it is when I get on the highway, is that true?? The explanation that I have been given is that all the torque on the engine burns up the clutch packs in the tranny when the OD is engaged in stop and go traffic. What do you all say?

 

I believe that the owners manual says to leave it in OD unless it keeps jumping in and out of OD. Main thing is just to keep an eye on the trans temp gauge if you got one.

 

I've got a 98 as well with an automatic tranny. I just turned 106K and I've always driven it with the overdrive engaged. I believe that it's the way Dodge wants you to drive it.

If you notice, when you take it out of overdrive and turn the engine off, when you turn the engine back on it automaticly puts the tranny into overdrive. Gotta be a reason for that huh ??

 

I've got 190k on my 96 1500. It is all original and still kickin. I leave it in OD all the time unless I am towing and it shifts in and out of OD several times in short period of time.

 

I agree that it makes sense to leave it in overdrive, it is just that I had heard otherwise from several people. I have also heard that the Auto tranny was the weak link in the vehicle, that it wasn't unusual for the tranny to die at around 70-80K and that it was the O/D that was killing it.

 

156,000 miles, OD on all the time unless I am hauling. As for being a weak link, not sure, I haven't had any problems with it as of yet, it has lasted longer than any other auto tranny that I have ever had.
Troy