Windstar overdrive blinking light

[HareRazor]

I have a 1996 Windstar minivan that last week the overdrive light all of a sudden started blinking. As soon as I start it up it starts blinking. If I put it in drive and go it takes off in 2nd, but if i put it down to 1 it drives in 1 fine. It seems to shift fine other than the starting in second. I checked the codes with my cheap check engine light reader and it didn't list anything for the transmission, but I have read that a lot of time you have to have a high end reader to check the codes. Any input?

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

well, where to start. Could be a broken sprag, ahnging valve body, bad pressure sensor, and a few other host of things.

 

[Earl43P]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170162

"If your Check Engine Light comes on and your OverDrive (O/D) light begins to flash on the dash at the same time, get the truck ASAP to a good transmission shop to be diagnosed right away if possible, to limit the amount of damage to the trannie. Don't drive the truck until it is code scanned. That flashing OD light is telling you that you have a component failure/problem with your transmission. It could be something as simple as a loose valve body that needs to be re-torqued or a blown out valve body plate gasket that can be easily replaced... Or it could be a simple Vehicle Speed Sensor, Throttle Position Sensor or some other engine sensor that has failed and is easy to replace and fix.... Much cheaper than ruining and having to fix the internal mechanicals of a computer controlled transmission that you have blown out by continuing to drive it when the OD light is flashing.... Easy and cheap to fix if you catch it early!"

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165746

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238818

Just some light reading for you. Good luck!

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Could be as simple as having tons of metal shavings and gunk in your rear diff hindering the ABS/VSS from reading your tone ring.

After my 9" rear swap, my tone ring is a bicycle gear welded to the axle yoke. It's a thin gear and if I down shift and lay into it a lot in 1st it'll loose count of the teeth cause it's just too thin. My OD light starts blinking and I stay in what ever gear it lost count in unless I manually shift it.

If it happens a lot I'd take it to a good tranny shop. But before that I'd pull the diff cover and clean that pig out and inspect the VSS. (That's the wire leading to a plug on the top of the pumpkin)

Good luck

 

[HareRazor]

I drove it down the road today with the check engine light tester plugged in and the tester was reading the same speed as the speedometer. So I cleared the codes, turned the van off and started it back up and it's back to its normal self. I have another tranny to go in there if this one goes out but hopefully that is a last resort and it was just a glitch. I read online that once the OD light comes up and blinks it takes 40 consecutive starts for the computer to deside that it has cleared.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

If its blinking there is a problem, take it in to a dealer and have it scanned.

 

[v-8power]

Mine has been doing it for over a year in my F-150

I might have to get it checked out.

 

[punkrokker14]

i am a ford tech. i have seen this as a common problem with the windstars.
that has nothing to do with the pcm.. you have to have the codes read with a scan tool that has the transmission control module in it to read the codes. is is usually an actuator thats common on those. but cant be sure without seeing it.