Help, I have a 96 Ford Bronco w/a deep pan transmission that says Metric on the pan. The problem I have is the Overdrive Off light I have on the shifter handle started flashing. I found out in my manual that means that something in the transmission has told my PCM (Pwr Tran Module) that something is wrong with my transmission and it goes into a failure mode....hard shifts, off-shifts, etc. I changed my tranny fluid and filter thinking that the transmission thought it wasn't getting the press. it needed but that didn't help. So I drove with the Overdrive off and it didn't flash after 10-15 minutes of driving. So I figure it's something with the transmission in overdrive that's telling my pcm it's not working or something. Before it started acting up and the shifter handle started flashing, the tranney is shifting awesome, matter of fact, it's got 180,000 miles on it and not a lick of problems. I'm not up on these new Electronic control transmissions but I've overhaulded GM's 700R4, 300, 350 and 400 Turbos and a C4 one time, so I know enough about transmissions to be somewhat dangerous. Any help would be very helpful and apprieciated very much. I suspect it's some kind of sensor in the tranny but I wouldn't even know what the sensors do or tell the PCM. Thanks Travis Turney Inola Oklahoma (Click Here to find out why email addresses are removed from posts.)
Go #6 M. Martin

 

WELCOME to the site, please read the Guidelines… Check out the list of forums and make sure you read the headings and Read First: notices in each forum. The members in this forum are very knowledgeable about these trucks, they will be by..... and help you with your question.
Good luck with your problems.
Enjoy FTE

 

Thank you Mr. Lamkin, this site is awesome with some very knowledgeable articles and forums, it's a bronco's/ford truck owners dream who work on there own trucks. Thanks again for the reply.

Travis Turney

 

Flashing O/d light is trouble code indication, and goes in safe mode. When in safe mode line pressure increases to help trans out, but needs to go to the shop.
What transmission in your truck 180K is a mlot of miles for Ford truck Automatic O/D.
My '93 E4OD required a lot of upgrades when overhauled at 125K. Later years had some improvements. If you are rebuilding definately install all upgrades for your model year to extend life of tranny. Mine has upgraded torque converter, center shaft support, 1st and 2nd planetaries and shift kit.
If you have the E4OD they are great with upgrades installed same tranny is in f250 f350 poerstroke diesels. I went with 2 man local shop with years of experience no big sign in front just quality work and price. Not a cheap tranny to overhaul, parts total was about 1400.00 . Mechanic said I should get at least 200K miles out of it.
Good Luck

 

I totally understand the flashing O/D light, the irritating part with me is, nothing has starting slipping......the tranny act's perfect when I'm cruising for about 15/20 minutes on the hwyway @65/70 and all of a sudden the light starts flashing. The tranny didn't slip or do anything weird when the light came on. That's the frustrating part with me. If it was acting up, I'm with you......180,000 miles till ovhl, can't complain about that. But the tranny act's perfect till I drive it like I said before. Now, I drove it around tonight with the O/D off and the light never started flashing, so I think I've isolated to the Overdrive portion of the transmission.....but what...sensor?, lock-up solenoid acting up, internal leakage when tranny heats up? Like I said, I'm just now starting to learn something about these EOD trannys. I appreiciate your help. I think I'm going to the Ford dealership tomorrow and look up what electronic parts go on that valve body that makes the torque converter lock-up or what tell's the PCM the torque converter is locked up or maybe slipping. Thanks again for your help and time writing me back and helping me.

Travis

 

I never had any trouble codes. My tranny started to shudder in overdrive (lockup clutch in torque converter) cruising at freeway speed after fluid change. It was also sluggish after about two hours of around town driving, wouldn't drop to 1st gear at stoplights.
Do you know the history of the truck. Might be something simple .

 

No Bronco man, I've never had a shudder, weird shift, nothing like that........the tranny acts perfect. I've almost wrecked the bronco watching the tach to see a rpm slippage (torque convertor) that would tigger the flashing light. Matter of fact, on the way to work now, if the light starts flashing, I just shut off the truck on the Hwy and re-start it and the light doesn't come on again for another 15/20 minutes (in overdrive). I bought the bronco with 40k on it and all I've had to do is water pump, antenna wire (weird problem, another one of those weird problem nobody ever hears), a egr sensor and that's it. The Alternator, Battery, Starter, all have been good and the engine doesn't drip and I've never had to add a quart. It's been a darn good Ford for me......can't complain at all. I've had to change the fuel pump out and R/R the auto hubs (Junk as we all know...I guess since I got stuck at Texas Motor Speedway when I needed them the most). I meant to go to the Ford Dealership today, but I've got kids to take x-mas shopping tonight so I'll do it Thursday, but I suspect since the tranny, as hard as it is to believe with 181k on it and everybody thinks that I need a drug test, the tranny acts perfect but as god as my witness, it act's as if it had 50k on it. But I'm just not on top of all these new electronic shift tran's and what needs to be done to them and there weaknesses. I'm old school, turbo 250, 300, 350, 400, 700r4, and a ford C4 (easiest one to ovhl). So hopefully, Thursday, I can go to Ford and find out what Electronic parts go on it and what tell's my PCM how it's acting and so forth and maybe I can narrow it down in the overdrive hyd electric circuit. I apprieciate you writing me back and all the help you've given me.

Travis Turney

 

I have the exact same problem. I took mine to the dealer for a diagnostic and they told me the torque converter was loosing pressure. I am changing it next week due to the outrageous cost per hour for them to do it. Just to remove and reinstall the trans is over $500 not including parts. So far I am wishing I had a manual trans. The E40D is very hard to figure out.

Jw

 

So what they (Ford Dealership) was the torque converter itself was the problem and the electronics on the tranny was detecting pressure loss in the converter itself and that's what triggered the flashing light? That sounds sound to me, like I said, I know everybody thinks I need a drug test, but the tranny shifts awesome and doesn't do anything weird or anything out of the ordinary. I just drive it in overdrive for 15/20 minutes and the darn light starts flashing. Thank you very much for your reply 96BroncoXL man..........it really helps out a lot. I'm thinking if the darn converter is taking a dump, than while I've got the whole thing out, I might as well ovhl it. But I'll do it my self and I don't know what special tools I need and where to get them? What Kit do I get that does the best? (B and M, ?) If anybody that knows and can give me somewhat of a clue where to start, converter, tools, book maybe I would deeply appreciate it.

Travis

 

I am just glad to hear someone else having the same problem. It is me, 96BroncoXL. I had to get a new registration due to password issues. My transmission is strong and does not slip at all. I have the E40D and rebuilding that is the last thing on my list. That is more than I want to do. I am hoping the converter fixes it. Mine does the exact same things yours does. The light will come on after about 15 minutes of driving. Turning off the O/D will delay it but not get rid of it. I even plugged up a code reader and waited for it to come on. When it finally started to flash I would use the Erase button to reset the CPU and the light would go off. 15 Minutes later it would come right back on. This never happened to the previous owner. He let it sit for 9 months before I bought it and I drive it every day. I am going to look at the seals while I am in there. I assume you have the E40D transmission as well. It is fully electronic with a solenoid pack just inside the pan that controls everything. I changed the fluid and filter and it did nothing. It still needed to be done it just didn't fix anything. I will know by Friday if it fixed it or not.

 

Well Stagman, let me know if removing/replacing the converter fixes the problems. What about that solenoid pack, what the @$@$#@ does it do. Could it lie to your PCU on your truck and tell it that the converter is slipping and in truth it's fine? But your problem is EXACTLY like mine. Matter of fact, now that I think about it, it sat in my shop for about 2/3 month's while I rode my new motorcycle (saving gas and trying to keep the Arab's from being as rich as the @#%$ are). And right after that is when I've had my problems. I appreciate you taking out your time and writing back to me. It means a lot and let me know what happens.

Travis Turney

 

The E40D transmission is a fully electronic trans. 5 hydraulic actuators change the gears based on inputs from the Throttle Position Sensor, MAP sensor, and the Speed sensor to be in the optimal gear for the settings. It is in the Haynes manual how it works but it won't tell you how to fix anything. All it says is to take it to the dealer. Those manuals are good for a few things but mostly they are crap. I will let you know.