I have ~85,000 mi on my 1999 4x4 PSD. The OFF light for the Overdrive OFF switch on the quadrant handle has started to blink. The transmission will still upshift to Overdrive. Does anyone have an idea why the Overdrive OFF light is blinking?

 

Check out the FAQ for the SD. It says to take to a dealer to check the code but I thought it was a speed detector on the rear pumpkin

 

Thanks for the information. I wonder if this could be related to my ABS light being ON, which just happened a few days before the Overdrive OFF started blinking. I think the speed sensor for the ABS in on the rear differential. Do you know anything about that system?

 

We had the same prob on our 97 psd. The first time it was a blown fuse under the hood. Replaced that and about 3500 mile later it started flashing again and the fuse was good. So took to dealership and now they are telling me that it needes a tranny and converter! Pulled a code p1728 on a scan @ 127K! Go figuire!

 

I know all about tranny troubles. My 99 F-250 (82,000 miles) on it's 3rd transmission and it looks like this one is shot too. The last time it went (3/03!) the overdrive light was blinking. It made it home, but went out in my driveway. I tow a 28' toy trailer w/buggy & quads, yes a load, but this is getting ridiculous. This time, I only towed with it twice, the rest was all highway miles. 6 months on a tranny? Anyone think it may fall under the lemon law, or should I demand that they replace it w/a new transmission rather than a re-manufactured.

 

I don't think there is nothing wrong with a rebuild as long as it is done properly! We tow a 3 horse trailer with a dressing room in front. Don't know the GVW but, it is very heavy. We had a Blacksmith here last night and he has a 97 PS long bed with a crew cab. He hauls a forge with all the equipment he needs which is consiterable amount of weight. His trany went out at around 80K and he had it rebuilt. Now he has over 160K on the rebuild and no problems!
I have found out that there was a service bulletin issued (by Ford)on Jan 19,1998 on the flashing light (service bulletin #98123)! It says it could pull the same code as our does (1728)! Now all I have to do is find out what that means.
Maybe someone on here knows something!!

 

As an update, I replaced the wheel speed sensor on the rear differental and that resulted in the ABS working and the light now extinguishes, and so far the Overdrive OFF light (blinking) has not come back on. When it was blinking before, it would only blink for what seemed like a set period of time and then it would stop blinking. Maybe this is a means of providing several and possibly different warnings.

I to use to haul a horse trailer (probably not more than a dozen times), so my troubles may not be over just yet. I will let you know if the light starts blinking again.

 

Cabinetmaker13, Thanks for your input! I will try that as it is a lot cheaper than putting pu $1600 for a rebulit tranny!
Also we wasn't pulling the horse trailer when the light started flashing so maybe you found the fix for yours!
Please keep us informed!

 

Cabinetmaker13, I found your post very interesting because on my 99PSD, the ABS light is on, the overdrive light is blinking, and , guess what, the speedometer quit- all happened at the same time. I'm guessing the wheel speed sensor too. Does anyone know a way to test it before I replace it?

 

I have a J.C. Whitney catalog that has a senors tester in it. That is if you wanted to spend the money! I think it was $79.95. Or if you could find some one that has one and would let you use it! I just don't trust the dealership to tell the truth about it! Unless they would show you that it checked bad on their tester.

 

on my 1995 powrstroke the od light started blinking and the trans. started shifting really hard(chirping the tires in 2 and 3)the speedo also quit.
All it was was a 25 cent fuse in my fuse block.its worth a check before u spend 1500+ for a new trans.
note:fuse also controls the dome light on the inside of 94-97 strokes dont know bout newer models.

 

Thanks for the info! The first time it started flashing it only did it while it was in the park position. When I had it checked out that was the problem (fuse blown in the fuse block under the hood). The second time it did it the fuse wasn't blown and it just flashed while in park. I unhooked the neg side of both batteries and some how it reset its self and everything went great and stopped flashing. Shifted OK also. This was the 3rd time and it even flashed not only while in park but, in all possitions (D,R,1,2 &N) and shifted real hard in 2nd and 3rd.
The truck has set for 2 weeks while waiting to get it in the shop. Yesterday evening we drove it to the trans shop and on the way the OD light stopped flashing and it shifted great.

 

(THE REST OF THE STORY!)
I have notice though that with the steering wheel all the way up to about half the way down that I can not turn off the OD! Once I tilt the steering wheel down past a certain point it will turn the light (OD) on and of course will not shift into OD. Also when driving out on the road and using the cruise some times when I use the turn signal to change lanes it will kick the cruise off, like I touched the brake pedal (but did not)! On Ford scanner it did kick a 1728 code though! Now I am really lost! The guy up at the trans shop said he had never seen this before but, he will run a scan to see what he can find. Now he is doubting that the trans is the problem!!

 

I posted a thread a bit ago on the same thing. I reset the computer by unhooking the ground, and it has been fine. A freind at work had his doing the same thing and the first time he took it in under warranty, and they put in a new tranny, he has had to reset it over the years about 10 12 times still running strong both our trucks are 1994 f350 td

 

Well, after checking it with a guy that knows what he was doing, it was decided that the torque converter was going bad. He pulled the tranny & TC and there were some big metal shaveings in the transmission pan (I was there and seen them)! So he rebuilt the tranny and installed a RV TC. The TC was what they call a billetted one, not a stamped version that comes in the 97 4x4 Power Stroke. What a difference in the way it looked!! The TC alone was about $400.00. He has put in quite a few and has never had any problems with them at all. The total cost was $1600.00. The dealer want around $2500.00 to do the same with the stamped version of the TC!!
While at the dealership they found out also that the "Glow Plug Relay" was bad. I asked them how much they wanted to replace it and they told me it was going to cost $223.00 pus tax (parts and labor)!!! So I call a local parts place and the price of a new relay was $19.00. It took me about 30 minutes to put on and I never even got my hands dirty (and no busted knuckles for a change)!!! It is under the black hood that covers the place where the fuel filter! People if there is any way to keep your truck out of the dealership service department by all means KEEP IT OUT,, unless you have more money than you have brains!!!