Does or has anyone had this happen to their truck before? I was driving around on Friday night, when all of a sudden the overdrive light starting to blink off and on, and did it until I was able to shut the truck off and restart it. Then it happened agian on Saturday, but no dealerships are open then for service, so I just restarted it, and it worked fine.
When the light is blinking, it seems that the transmission can't decide wether or not to be in overdrive, and up shifts and downshifts a lot more than normal. Any information on this would be great. I am planning on stopping by the dealership after work today, and see if they know anything about it.

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1999 F-150 4x4 Offroad, SuperCab, Prairie Harvest Gold, 5.4L Triton w/ K&N Air Filter, Lund Interceptor Bug Guard, Lund Headlight Covers, Smittybilt Outland Sport Bumper Gaurd w/ Hella 500 & 550 Driving lights, Access Roll-up Cover, Bedliner, Ford Reciever Hitch Cover, Taillight Covers, Bridgestone Dueler AT's

Future Mods:
Gibson Cat-Back Exhaust, 4" Lift w/ 34 OR 35 Inch Mickey Thompson's, 2 or 3 Inch Body Lift

 

On my friends 97 F-250LD w 5.4 the dealer replaced the ABS sensor on the differential and the speed sensor at the transmission.

The codes did come up on the dealers coputer.


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97 F-150, 2WD, Reg Cab,Flareside,Dk Toreador Red, Windsor 4.6, Magnecor 8.5mm wires, Bosch Plat +4s, 3.55 LS, EGR Bug Deflector, ******* Bed Cover, Bed Liner, XL Full Length Running Boards, Air Aid Kit, Gibson Single Out Cat Back, Superchips, TransGo Shift Kit, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, Hellwig 2500# Overload Springs,Energy Suspension Polyurethane Front Sway Bar Bushings

 

I read somewhere that the OD light blinks to warn of a problem with the transmission, like the check engine light does for the engine.

 

My Windstar had the same sensor fail three times. Each time with the blinking O/D light. The sensor was cheap enough (about $40) but, the labor was $120. Was told I couldn't slap it on myself because of all the computer settings. Each time it failed after the 12K warranty. This last one has held up about 30K.

This particular sensor caused 'no shift' and I was stuck in first. Not fun.

 

Thanks for the information. Looks like another stop at the dealership tonight. Boy, it is a bad thing when I can pull my truck in there, and they now know me by name. Looks like I have gotten every problem in the book....must have been built by the crew on either a Friday or a Monday after a weekend of drinking.

 

Well I stopped by the dealership on my way home, and had them run a scan on the problem, and it had set a "1-2" code, where it was having a hard time deciding wether or not to be in 1st or 2nd gear, due to something in tranny. They reset the code, and it hasn't happened since. They are going to take a look at it next Tuesday when it goes in to have the new Engine put in it, and that was covered under warranty thank god!!

 

My 97 F-150 has had the same problem with the OD light flashing but with a twist. My trans jerks when it shifts as well. I took it to the shop and told me to just change the fluid and filter. I did and it drove great for two days and then started up again. I thought maybe it was the trans heating up, but again you can turn the engine off and then on again and everything is fine. I'll be taking a look at the sensors next.

 

The flashing light is an indication of an electrical input.On this trans the shift solenoids can go bad and hang up. If it is shifting normal and nothing is different than the light it could be a wiring prob. The 1-2 shift can have problems if the balance springs on the accumulator are broken. This can give intermittent probs too. You can drop the pan and check it your self pretty easy.

 

My O/D light was flashing so I took it in and it was a bad solenoid. My truck shifts much better now between 3 and 4.

 

Well thank you guys for all of the information on this problem. Now that they have reset the code, I haven't had any more problems with it, but atleast it is noted so now it is covered by an added warranty period. Thanks agian for your help....this board is the Greatest thing since the F1 was introduced!!!!

 

I've got the same problem on my 98. Will it hurt it to drive it? Is the dealer the only place that can fix it?
Thanks folks!

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98 Red XLT 4x4

 

According the dealership, it isn't going to hurt anything short term, but long term it "might" damage the tranny. Yes the dealership is the only on that I know of that can reset the computer code that it set. It is a really quick fix, think less than 10 minutes to diagnose and reset code if it is the same thing that I had. Hope that this helps. I drove mine all weekend, and it just shifted hard, but that was it...kinda distracting though.

 

Well, guess what, it happened agian...Overdrive light is blinking agian, after driving it since the previous time they reset the code on the tranny. Happened last night under a hard acceleration when trying to merge onto the interstate. Getting sick of this, and dropping the truck off until they fix it right this time....Oh yeah, and also having the regional Ford representative looking at the truck on Wednesday of this week...guess that it couldn't have happened at a better time.
=O) or is it =O( ??????

 

When the O/D light blinks it's indicating a tranny problem. This is sometimes accompanied with very hard shifts, which is caused by the tranny going into limp home mode. The line pressure sky rockets to sometimes as high a 300 psi(from a normal 70). This WILL cause broken parts.

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Curt
'93 Lightning #4232

 

Well to keep you guys updated...it turns out that it is the 1-2 shift cylinoid, that has went out of the tranny. Must have been going out the first time that the trany light started blinking, and now it really went out completely.
Lightninstruck-
Thanks for the information, it will help not only me, but a lot of people in the future. Dang I wish that I had a Lightning!!