I have a 1997 Ford E350 van. Recently, the transmission has been acting up. The van feels as though it is going to shift, backs off, attempts it again, etc. Then the “overdrive” light on the shift handle begins blinking. If I turn the van off, put it in park, and restart the vehicle, the problem goes away. I’ve taken it to my mechanic and they have been unable to find anything wrong. The transmission was serviced within the last 6 months, and the fluid is good and the filter is clean. Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be?
When it starts acting up, take it directly to somewhere where the computer can be scanned. Most local auto parts stores will scan for free. When the O/D light starts flashing, it is telling you that the computer has found a problem. Try to have it checked while the light is flashing.
transman
My mechanic did put it on the computer (although not when the light was flashing), and nothing showed up. It happens quite sporadically. The first time was at the end of a long road trip, during which I carried a lot of weight in the vehicle. The second time, the van was empty. The truck runs well otherwise.