I pilled the codes and they came as vss, so I`m at a loss. the blinking is consistent , you know like a drip from a faucet. I reset my dtc`s and all is fine and then it ciomes on.Thinking about it the blinking (probs) happen when I`m backing up, like in my driveway,,,,, thoughts?

Hanklin

 

OK, these are all long shots, but here goes:

(You said the problem only seems to happen in reverse....)

1) Could there be a piece of debris in the differential that moves around the ring gear in one direction, but not in the other, passing by the vss and causing a code. Did you change the fluid, and if so, did any junk come out?

2) When shifting to reverse, there could be a break in the vss wiring. As the housing torques around a little this could be causing a problem.

3) (and maybe the easiest to check) There may be a short someplace that when the truck goes into reverse voltage is being sent back up the VSS sensor wire. I say this might be the easiest to check because...either pull the fuse for the reverse lamps (not sure the number) or disconnect the backup lamp switch at the tranny. That would eliminate the reverse signal going to the back of the truck.


A question though. If you put the truck in reverse, but don't move, and then drive forward, do you get the light? Or, does the light only come on if the truck MOVES in reverse? That would probably eliminate the short circuit idea, and more lead to something moving around inside the diff.

 

No it seems to happen when I back in and then shift to park,shoulda clarified that better. The first time, before I switched the vss, I was in drive then shifted to park.The rest of the time it was reverse to park..Everytime I noticed it there would be a spike in rpms and blinking happens

Hanklin


Iwill change the fluids this coming Monday, that should be a start

 

How about wires chaffing in the steering column?

 

Dave
I haven`t noticed anything like that

Hanklin

 

The RPM spike leads me to think in the tranny. The PCM might be seeing the the RPM's in the tranny, but not at the diff, so it thinks that the VSS is bad and throws a code to blink the OD light. Might be a clutch in the tranny shifting or not shifting as it should...

 

DING DING DING, I think we have a winnah. the OD button wire is known to chaff inside the shift lever(or at the base where it goes into the column) its a pretty cheap fix from the dealer. this could cause your blinking light, and throw a code b/c the pcm is not seeing a constant voltage.

 

I agree with the wire chaffing since you have nailed down when it happens.
The usual problem area is where a wire tie and bends in the wiring meet.

keep us posted either way and be extra thorough when inspecting the wires.

good luck, and I hope that solves it.

Austin

 

Isn't a 2001 the year that they had that crummy diode in the transmission?

 

Dan,
I replaced the tranny with a new one last year, I was thinking that the diodes were not part of the new ones (make sense?). But yeah 2001 had probs with diodes


Hanklin

 

From what I've read here on FTE, Ford quickly realized that they made a mistake with that design, but it took a while to re-configure the production. So about six months worth got out the door before it was changed again.
All rebuilt trannies with that diode are upgraded to something better.

 

Dan
How can I check to see?I`d like to eleminate that as a prob, or validate it. Are there #`s I can pull off the bottom? It is rebuilt but the timing from 2001 to 2005 is a long one in which I`d think mine would have been a "fresher,newer" one without the dreaded diode

Hanklin

 

I have no idea, perhaps someone who does could catch this?