This is my first post and please forgive me if this has been answered. I searched the site and didn't find one. Here's my problem. Today it was around 100 degrees here and I drove my truck around 100 miles round trip. Near the end of my trip the OD light on the gear shift started flashing and the automatic transmission would not shift properly. Shortly afterwards, the SES light came on and stayed on. At that point I turned off my AC and started to limp home. About a mile from my house, the OD light stopped flashing and the shifting went back to normal. The SES light remained on, however. I know that I need the code read for a proper fix, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the issue may be before I go to my mechanic and/or if anyone else has ever had this problem?

This may or may not be related: Over the past year I noticed that my shifting needle no longer lines up with the letter selected. For example, when I shift into drive the orange needle rests to the right of the D instead of in the middle of the D. The same goes for all the other gears, including park. Maybe this was the beginning of tranny issues unbeknownst or me?

My truck is a 2002 F-150 FX4 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 5.4L engine, 58,250 miles. Only mods are a K&N air filter and Flowmaster exhaust.

 

The transmission has many sensors for shifting etc...
Since the tranny 'went bad' and then later 'returned to normal' I would suspect a sensor problem, which relatively cheap compared to an actual transmission repair.

You are probably looking at around $90 parts and another $90 labor at the dealership.

Don't worry about the gearshift indicator, that's a cosmetic problem.

The SES could be related to the tranny sensor or something else, an auto parts will read it for free.

 

This past September I had the same thing happen to my 2000 F150 4x4. I took it to a recommended transmission shop, they said I needed a rebuild, $2500 ouch!!. I said OK, it's back in the shop today for the 5th time since the rebuild with the exact same problem, each time I take it back they replace some sensor and say "OK, it's fixed now and won't happene again". I am guessing I spend $2500 for nothing and they are still hunting for the original cause. I'm not happy.

 

Were you just wanting to rant or were you actually trying to solve the original poster's question?


If you're just ranting, you wasting your time and ours.

 

My post is helpful. If he takes his truck to a shop and they say “you need a rebuild” he may think twice and not waste his money on it and instead look into finding other solutions.

ProjectSHO89, Who's post was a waste of time, mine or yours? I think yours.

 

Just to follow-up on this: I took my truck to a shop I trust very much. After getting the codes he discovered it was a bad solenoid in the transmission. Replaced it and haven't had any issues since. Cost was less than $300.

 

Good deal on the repair. There are many good mechanics, but a mechanic with good diagnostic skills is gold!

Did he align your gear indicator needle? Yours should be similar to mine (2000 F150 XL) and easy to fix. Under the dash, find the cable that comes from the column shifter. There's an adjustment wheel at the end near the instrument panel. Turning that wheel will align the indicator needle with the gear markings.

~Ed

 

That's good news, you got off cheap.

Since I last posted (see above) my truck went back to the shop again for the 6th time with the OD light flashing. The shop just called and said it was a defective torque converter that was causing my OD light to flash, they had put a new one in during the rebuild in September 07 but something went wrong with it and they needed to replace it again. He said they took it for a very long tesat drive and it now seems fine. I guess time will tell, I will cross my fingers and hope they got it fixed this time.