Question for car guys

[TickTockMan]

My Honda Accord 2013 has an econ button for better MPG. Would it hurt my car to leave it on all the time?


My friends don't have a Honda, but they don't need to push any button. Their econ is always on, though called something else.


Thoughts?

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Honda dealership service techs give the "green light" to owners who want to stay in "Econ" mode.
Econ mode will not harm your Honda if left on all the time.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I had an Econ button on my Honda Fit, I think it was. My recollection of it was that it was essentially a trade-off betwewen efficiency and power. If you ran with the Econ button on, you'd get better gas mileage due to slower acceleration, different gear shifting, and treatment of auxilliary systems like the AC.

As far as I understood, you could easily consider it the "normal" mode for the engine and computer, and turning it off to be the excursion, to allow more power in needful situations, e.g., traffic that required quick responses and acceleration, or hot weather when the AC couldn't keep up if cycling too infrequently.

For the models that had the button, performance wasn't likely to be the highest priority for the majority of drivers they were marketed to.

But, if you lived in Phoenix, or travelled in traffic that demanded some quick moves, you could turn it off and happily spend more gas.

 

[Vannie]

My Pinto don't have one.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

The reduced driveline stress of Econ mode sounds like a plus for long-term ownership.

 

[TickTockMan]

Thanks

 

[Alistair]

I rented a Honda when I took a vacation. I used Econ mode all along the Pennsylvania turnpike, didn’t have any problems going up the hills and saved a lot on gas. I drove from Ohio to Virginia Beach on one tank.

 

[Jaysone8822]

Because ECON mode limits shift points, decelerates your A/C and limiting fuel injection, you aren't going to hurt the car, it reduces power and that you'll notice in city driving.

 

[rareboy]

Interesting that Honda didn't put this on the Pilot....

 

[unloadonme]

My car has economy, normal and sport settings. Economy makes the car a bit sluggish and sport makes it scarily fast, so I stick to normal.