O/D OFF dashboard light

Hi, I drive a 1995 Explorer XLT, V6, automatic transmission, four door, two wheel drive. I'm having a problem with the O/D OFF light on my dashboard. I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. Well, it's blinking at me. It started blinking this morning when I started the truck. It doesn't blink with just the key on, the engine must be running. I checked my owners manual and my service manual, but I couldn't find a reason why the light would be blinking. I checked the fluid level, and looked around the tranny for any leaks or unplugged wires but everything looked fine. Also, the transmission seems to be operating normally, no unusual noises, and it shifts fine. The overdrive switch works too. When I press it, the truck will shift in and out of overdrive like it should, but the light continues to blink. Can anyone tell me what the problem may be?? I appreciate any help you can give. Thanks a bunch.

Stephen

Unfortunately I have had some experience with this. This has happened twice to me. The last time the ring and sun gears had to be replaced. This time I don't know yet. My transmission is in pieces being inspected as we speak. This little light is either a warning that something major is wrong or the external switch is bad. No way to tell till you get transmission checked. Do not be fooled. It will leave you sitting shortly. I have had my transmission rebuilt twice already. This time I'm putting an auxilary cooler on it.

Stephen,
I totally agree with Mike. Go have it checked out, before you have to get it towed.

I'm really sorry to hear that this has potential to be a serious problem, but I'm glad that someone else know what I'm talking about. Thanks a lot for the info guys, I'm gonna have it checked as soon as I can. Thanks again.

Stephen

Stephen,
I just had this happen to me when I was on vacation last June. It started to blink, then I lost overdrive, and started to shift bad. All this happened in about 60 miles. I spent 4 unexpected days in Las Vegas, and $1500.00 to have the tranny rebuilt. It was actually the torque converter that went out. That's a $650.00 job, but since I had 109k miles on it, I figured that I should go ahead and get the damn thing rebuilt.

Ray,
Thanks for the information. That exactly what happened to mine it seems so far. Just out of the blue one morning when I started it, the light started blinking. I didn't lose overdrive, and it hasn't started shifting badly yet. I have noticed a little bump and a noise just as I come to a stop. I've felt this feeling before in the Ranger I had before the Explorer, and it was the torque converter. My truck is at a transmission shop right now waiting to be looked at, so I should know something soon. The truck has 100,000 miles on it as of last week, but I hope it doesn't need a rebuild. Thanks again.

Stephen

Hey guys,
I have some good news, about the transmission anyway. I took my truck to a transmission shop and I found out that there isn't anything mechanically wrong with the tranny. The mechanic put my truck on a diagnostic machine and it gave him the code 513. It means that the Power Control Module (PCM) lost power somehow and the electrical problem only effected the transmission. He cleared the memory, drove the truck, and tested it again, then again. No codes this time. So, for now it seems to be an intermittant elcetrical problem. He suggested that the ECM may be at fault but until the problem code can be repeated time after time, it'll be hard to diagnose it. I sure hope he's right. Anyway, the truck is running normal now, but I'm gonna keep an eye on it to see if it'll do it again and what the circumstances are that causes it. I even got to make a trip off road this afternoon, everything worked fine. Anyway, thanks for the help you guys gave me.

Hey Stephen,
I always like to hear good news. I'm glad it wasn't anything big.

Flashing Overdrive Light

I have a 1996 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD. Recently, I started having the flashing overdrive light problem. I've been searching the 'Net and found HUNDREDS of people with the same problem...unfortunately most of them with bad results. Here's what I know based on my experience thus far:

--It always happens to me when climbing an upgrade on the highway.

--Every time it has happened it seems to be in cold weather.

--Once the light starts flashing, it will go off after I turn the engine off and re-start. However, it will shift roughly with a soft "clunk" just before stopping. (Stephen S. described this exact problem in this thread)

--The first time it happened I was out of town so I went to an AAMCO. They took a look and said that the tranny fluid might need a change (I didn't do it then), but it drove just fine after resetting the code. It drove fine for a week, then the light started flashing again as I climbed that same hill on the highway home.

--Took it to my local mechanic (not a Ford dealer). He said it may be a torque converter problem but decided to try another remedy instead. He replaced a sensor that detects the temperature of the engine coolant ($95.00 total). He said that a false reading for engine coolant temperature may cause an "alarm" for the transmission to compensate for extremely cold temperature.

--The light started blinking again (same incline on the highway) within 2 days. This time, I had just received the recall notice for the '96 Explorer, so I took it to the Ford dealer yesterday (January 18, 2001)

--The dealer checked it over and said that a tranny fluid change should correct the problem. Guess what happened tonight (January 19th)? The damned light is flashing AGAIN!

After reading a ton of message board posts on this subject (try a search on Deja.com!), I am now very worried. A lot of people with this problem have had to replace transmissions. Some even say that Ford is avoiding a recall! It seems to happen with the 94 - 96 transmissions in several Ford vehicles - not just Explorers.

If anyone has had good luck with a fix for this problem, PLEASE let me know!

Note: I just decided to edit this post. I've submitted this problem (using pretty much the same exact wording that I've used here) to the "Vehicle Problems" section of the official Ford website. According to the Ford site, they should respond within 2 days. I'll post the result here.


[Edited by gadgetgal on 01-19-2001 at 09:18 PM]

Unfortunately, after 2 transmission rebuilds and 1 new transmission I figured out the only cure for this problem. I traded the explorer for a toyota and have had no transmission woes since. I urge all 94-96 explorer owners to do the same.

Originally posted by Mike W
Unfortunately, after 2 transmission rebuilds and 1 new transmission I figured out the only cure for this problem. I traded the explorer for a toyota and have had no transmission woes since. I urge all 94-96 explorer owners to do the same.

Click to expand...

Mike:

Thanks for answering, even if the news isn't good. So your experience was after taking your Explorer in for repairs (and new/rebuilt transmissions) that the light continued flashing or what? I'd love to hear more...

Thanks again.

-- Gadgetgal

The first time I had it rebuilt the planetary gears were all chipped with shavings and gouges throughout the case. It was fixed and good for 25,000 miles. The light came on again and started shifting hard and clunking. Again the planetary gears. I had it rebuilt again. I know the gears were new because I went and got them and the rebuilder gave me the bad parts. The light came on again the next day. I took it back. They said the inside if the case was so gouged the seals wouldn't fit. Bought a factory new transmision, put an auxillary cooler on it and traded it. It is my opinion that this is an inferior product and Ford loves selling the parts to fix it. It is a shame because I really liked that truck. I will never own another Ford. Bad product and even worse service.