"O/D off" Light blinking

[J. Kennedy]

This can't be good. Driving around today the "O/D off" light starts blinking. I'm doing 3000 rpm at 30 mph. If I let off the gas for 3 seconds, I hear a "thunk" and it drops down to 1100 rmp and drives normally until I come to a stop, then it all starts over again.

In the old days, there was a vacuum hose that ran from the tranny to the carb (yep, real old days). The hose or the gizmo on the carb would be faulty, causing symptoms like I have now. I looked briefly and saw nothing like that on the 1995 fool injection.

How can I fix this? It has to be something simple. Someone else must have seen this. Thanks, JK

 

[J. Kennedy]

oh yeah

and yes, the fluid seems ok. I had the tranny flushed around 35k. The 1st thing I did today was check it and it was full, clear, and red. Help?

 

[DocVijay]

It could be your tranny getting ready to go. Mine did similar things last year. Then sufddenly I lost reverse and gears 2 and 3. Thank god I had en extended warranty, so it was fixed free. Get it checked ASAP! The longer you wait, the more it could cost you.

 

[asp84]

hmmm, definately not a good thing. There is usually not a quick fix for this type of problem, especially when your tranny fluid is full and clean.

How many miles are on your truck?

Good Luck
Al

 

[AKJello]

Throttle position sensor fixed mine. I had hard shifts up and down with a flashing O/D off light. It's costs about $40.

 

[Lifted95X]

I have had my tranny replaced twice because of these same symptoms. One quick thing to try....reset your computer and see if the light comes back.

 

[J. Kennedy]

Update - no progress

So I disconnected the batt, the blinking went away but the shifting issue was still the same. From a stop or a crawl, it stays stuck in 1st until I let off the throttle. 3 seconds later, it starts shifting normally. The blinking came back on today after 15 miles of driving.

The car has about 65,000 on it. The tranny fluid was changed around 35k, so this definitely should not be happening. It is still full and clear.

I like the idea (and price) of the TPS, but in searching this forum it does not seem that my symptoms are the same. It seems to work well for hard shifting, but that is not what I have.

I have made an appt with the local Mercury dealer (whom I trust marginally more that the local Ford dealer, who is just plain evil) for this coming Monday, so we will see what happens.

 

[kps36]

AKJello, did you have a Check Engine Light when you had to r/r the TPS. I was under the impression that a CEL went along with a bad TPS ? JKennedy, please let us know what it is. I have wrestled with a similar problem for about a year on a 95 Ranger, since serviceing the tranny no more OD flash, but I still don't like the way it shifts sometime..I was thinking TPS also, but I have no CEL !
Inquiring minds want to know..
thnx

 

[J. Kennedy]

Kick down cable

Hey, searching forums I am leaning towards the kick down cable. WHERE IS IT???

I have one cable running from my gas pedal to my throttle body. I have one other one running from the throttle body to the cruise control module. Thats it.

Shouldn't it be on the throttle body? WTF?

 

[Robert]

Your transmission on your '95 is electronically controlled via the computer. It does not have a kick-down cable.

 

[Jason_25]

It still may be worth it to replace the TPS, mine was doing all kinds of stuff and I replaced it and all is well. What's 20-40 bucks compared to 2000?

 

[J. Kennedy]

shifty issues

Robert, Thanks for the tip about no kickdown cable!!! I was losing my mind looking for it!

Got a new TPS, rehooked the batt ( computer was reset). Same shifting problem and blinking came back.

The EGR valve seems to have vacuum, so I assume its ok.

Seems to go 1st, 2nd, revs to 3k and goes to 3rd. Is it going back into 1st or slipping out of gear all together?

Any other ideas?

 

[Jason_25]

At that mileage hopefully it's not torque converter or O/D band related. It could be something as simple as a VSS or shift solenoid failure. I say get the codes read at a TRUSTED dealer and go from there.

 

[b]

codes and clear them

I had a similar problem with flashing lights and a thunking transmission a few years ago. Three different transmission shops said things from rebuild, or replace, to simply changing the fluids.
I chose the latter.
I cleared the codes on my 95(because there wasn't anything juicy previously) and have had the transmission filter changed, fluid several times and no blinking since.

 

[GJarrett]

My bet is shift solenoid or torque converter going out. Get the OBD II code read if you know a trusted dealer like Jason_25 said. We're all guessing. If you have an O/D light blinking it will be throwing a code. Get it read and then we'll know more.

 

[J. Kennedy]

Im gonna barf

Just spoke to the dealer. New ball joints needed for inspection sticker - $620. Ive done these before but don't know if I could handle these as they are a different design, plus Ive got way too much on my plate right now anyway. Thats the least of my worries.

New remanufacured transmission with 36,000 warantee: $2700.00
I don't understand transmissions, but apparrently a valve in the valve body got stuck, wich caused the intermediate clutch to burn out. The Valve body part itself is $900, and he said between all the other parts plus labor it is cheaper to replace that repair.

Barely 64,000 on the car. No real off roading. No towing. Well maintained.

You would think after ~50 years of auto trannys, Ford would know how to build a transmission for an old tecnology, rear wheel dirve vehicle. Wonder why people buy Japanese?

Anyone know where I can get a cheap tranny?

 

[DocVijay]

Same happened to mine. The valve got stuck and that fried the tranny and torque converter. Mine was at only 38,000 miles though.

 

[C Jeff]

I feel for all of us who have this problem. I spent $2300.00 rebuilding my 95 this summer. One minute it's working fine and the next the O/D light is flashing and it's not shifting properly. I blew the torque converter and sent metal throught the transmission. There went any chance for more mods for a while.