00 windstar, od switch not working

Everything else is fine. Not a problem, any thoughts.

Everything else is fine. Not a problem, any thoughts.

So are you saying that you cannot turn overdrive "off" by pressing the o/d button on the end of the selector lever? The car should drop out of o/d when you press the button and then the o/d light illuminates on the console. Pushing the button again will upshift from 3rd to o/d if the engine parameters call for it to.

Can you "feel" the car go through all the gears (1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to OD) by feeling the shifts and/or seeing the tach drop at each shift point?

THe tranny shifts correctly from 1 to 2 , 2 to 3, and 3 to 4. When I push the OD switch, no down shift from 4 to 3 and no light.

Not really a problem, but the switch doesn;t work..

okay, that helps. I would start with the simple things first, you need to verify that the switch itself and wiring is okay. I don't have a wiring diagram but you would need to find where the two wires from the o/d switch terminate and then use an ohmmeter to check that the switch works. I would think the wires would terminate into the PCM assy. to tell the computer you want to engage or release o/d. Hopefully someone with electrical diagrams can get you pointed in the right direction here.

Curious, did this fail recently and suddenly or what's the history of whether the o/d switch ever worked as it should...

I have an 02 mine didn't work either,found fuse 14 blown replaced it and it blew again shortly after. I bought a Haynes repair manual and found the problem was in the gearshift lever where the wire shorted, maybe yours is broken.

I have an 02 mine didn't work either,found fuse 14 blown replaced it and it blew again shortly after. I bought a Haynes repair manual and found the problem was in the gearshift lever where the wire shorted, maybe yours is broken.

Thanks for your post. Do you remember where the wire shorted. What did you have to take apart? Any help you give is appreciated.


Thanks

The wire was shorted inside the shift lever, to get to the wire you will have to remove the panel under the steering wheel,the panels to either side of the steering wheel,and the cover around the steering column. To get the cover off of the steering column you have to remove the key lock. you will then be able to see the wire going into the gearshift lever.

Cabron - sorry, I've been meaning to post in this thread for a few days but kept forgetting. You might want to take a look at this thread (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=910350). Don't bother reading it all because there was much discussion which led nowhere - scroll down to CoachKarl's posts, #11 and #13 - he found a broken wire, and post #13 has a pretty good photo of it. That was a '95 but I think it's relevant to your problem.