O/D Light

[xjsport95]

So I did some research and all I am finding is when the light flashes... Mine does not come on at all even when starting up... I figured the bulb is burned out but the other day goin down a long hill, I hit the button to try and save my brakes a bit... nothing not shift at all, I pressed it again waited a few seconds, still no shift... my question: if the bulb is out will that prevent the transmission from shifiting?? every else seems normal, shifts smooth as it always has... very occasional hard shift but it has done that since the day I brought her home...

Its a 2006 eddie Bauer, 4.0 V6, a little over 115000k

As far as I know the transmission is original, I believe the previous owner had it serviced around 60k at least thats what the dealer told me...

 

[Henders]

The OD button is for Over Drive (sixth gear). If your driving at Highway speed and press the button, it will downshift to 5th gear for acceleration/power. If you're going down a hill, normally you'd shift if from drive to 3 or 2 (depending on your speed).

 

[xjsport95]

I only have a 5 spd transmision... the point is it dosnt shift at all when I press the button... not light either

 

[thebrakeman]

He has the V6, which is a 5-speed. OD button locks out 5th gear.
If a V8, it's a 6-speed. OD button locks out both 5th and 6th gears. I tow a 5000 lbs trailer with my V8 Mounty, and I hate not being able to hold 5th gear. Often, I can't leave it in OD, or it hunts. But locking out OD pulls all the way to 4th, which is high rpm. Very annoying, but usually my only choice.

As far as the OP question, if the bulb is out, that should not affect transmission function. Then again, I think I may have heard of some people doing some flat towing that had to do something with that light switch to lock the 4WD transfer case into neutral position (for flat towing behind a motorhome, etc). Hopefully others will chime in.

Will it pull down to 3rd by physically pulling the lever down to "3"?

 

[xjsport95]

well I went for a drive, switeched the lever into 3rd and it shifted normally, tried the button for the heck of it and it... the light came on and she shifted??? shut her down, restarted and the button worked again... stopped at the store then back home the button dosnt work again... Im assuming some sort of electrical problem?? im not sure now... Ill try it again tomorrow on my way to work and report back,

 

[Flag Gibby]

I wouldn't necessarily call it an electrical problem. It sounds like a bad connection (maybe at the shifter assembly?) and that's all. Some individuals have reported the transmission connector on the top of the tranny getting corroded from condensation from the HVAC box dripping on it so it could be at that point too.

 

[xjsport95]

I used the term loosely lol so on my way to work did not work but coming home for lunch turned on but would not turn off... Ill have to tear it apart this weekend to see what I can find out... does anyone know if the "buttion" is serviceable? or would I need to replace the entire shifter assebly? and the connector on the transmission itself, is it reached from under the hood? or under the vehicle? do I need to lower the crossmember? and whiule im down there if its common to cause problems I figure I sould just clean it and give her a shot of the dielectric grease...

 

[Flag Gibby]

I just found this... you might want to read this and look into if the shifter is covered under the recall since you have an 06 otherwise the shifter can be removed from inside the vehicle; you just have to remove the center console to get at it. Unless the button is sticky and simply opening it up and cleaning the contacts fixes it you will have to replace the whole thing.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=392122&highlight=button

...I had completely forgotten about the shifter recall that Ford did for some of the '06 models. I had mine replaced two times in the first 3 years because it kept failing.