Whats the cause of a whining tramsmission, blinking overdrive light, hesistant to shift properly?

I have a 1997 Ford Expedition XLT with the 4.6L V8 that has 217000 miles. It never had a problem shifting until recently. I dropped the transmission pan and changed the filter and fluid. Changed the transfer case fluid. When I drive it now, it will rev the rpms up and then start accelerating. Shift two or three times and hesitate to shift after that but still gaining speed until about 25 – 35 mph before it starts bucking. And the overdrive light flashes on and off. The transmission whines during acceleration and deceleration.

My car has 217000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
As a rule, I NEVER change the transmission fluid on a vehicle with that high of a mileage unless it has replaced regularly throughout the life of the vehicle. Replacing fluid that is thick with new fluid can cause issues everywhere in the trans.

While performing this service, are you sure you replaced the seal to the trans filter and it seated properly without tearing the seal? If the filter did not seat properly it could cause your issue.

Did you fill it with the +F fluid? Is the fluid level correct while running? Fluid level is everything on a trans.

If all of the above is correct, I think either your have some ’funk’ floating around in your trans getting in some of your valve body jamming up some solenoids or the thinner viscosity of the new fluid is not creating the pressure you need due to worn components.

At 217k miles, you may try a flush service or you may need a new transmission. The whining noise is probably the torque converter slipping a bit due to the new fluid (which requires removal of the transmission anyways). If you would like to have a transmission fluid service done, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic can come to your home or office to perform this task for you.

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If your overdrive light is flashing or blinking, you are not going to be able to correct the issue by pushing a button. It means that something is wrong with your car`s transmission – perhaps the range or speed sensors, or the solenoid.
This means that you have a transmission system code. You will need to have a scan of your transmission and power train to see what code or codes have been set. I would do this sooner rather than later before your Ford starts to exhibit functional problems with the transmission if it has not already.
OD light flashing indicates a problem with the transmission. The problem could be a transmission mechanical, hydraulic or electrical in nature. Overfilling can cause the fluid to foam and foam in the fluid can cause all kinds of symptoms. Explorers have had transmission issues over the years.
The overdrive light will blink when there is a problem detected in the transmission. Could be a sensor not registering correctly should probably get it scanned so that way a small issue does not become a bigger issue.
Possible causes of no overdrive include a faulty transmission range switch, valve body, faulty overdrive brake, or faulty ECM. Faults codes should be read out with a scanner, and statuses read.
The relay is an electronic part that is located behind the dash, above the brake and gas pedals, and inside of the firewall. Without a functional overdrive relay, the overdrive switch won`t work, and the solenoid won`t activate.
However, in general, it`s probably not a good idea to tow in overdrive because the transmission could overheat and cause damage.
Generally speaking, overdrive is the highest gear in the transmission. Overdrive allows the engine to operate at a lower RPM for a given road speed. This allows the vehicle to achieve better fuel efficiency, and often quieter operation on the highway.
Low transmission fluid will cause the overdrive light to flash. Since the transmission overdrive is controlled by a solenoid, it`s activated by fluid pressure. When fluid pressure is low, the solenoid will be unable to activate the overdrive gear and flash the overdrive light as a warning.
It`s not bad to drive with overdrive off and does no harm to the transmission. However, you will get worse fuel economy and have more noise at high speeds. There`s really no reason to leave it off unless you need to ascend or descend a steep hill. You can turn overdrive on or off at any time or speed.
Here are the top symptoms that your solenoids aren`t functioning properly: You experience delayed gear shifting and a sense of pulling or slipping when trying to shift between gears. The vehicle will not downshift as you slow down.
Make sure you`re using the latest version of the OverDrive app by going to the App Store and checking for updates. Close the OverDrive app completely by swiping it up from your app switcher. Restart your device. Contact support for more help, and let them know you tried all the steps in this article.
With an automatic transmission, overdrive is most often an intuitive function initiated by the ECU when the vehicle reaches the proper speed. In the case of manual transmissions, overdrive is the highest gear of the transmission but has to be engaged by the driver.
A car has two speed sensors: the ISS and the OSS, working together to show the transmission data to the car`s powertrain module. The ISS sensor monitors the input shaft`s speed. If these sensors get misaligned, the operation of the transmission system will be affected.
This includes speed sensors that tell your transmission how and when to change gears. If your speed sensor is sending incorrect data, it can lead to hard shifting and other drivability problems.
With overdrive, you`ll increase the refresh rate and lower the response time, so the pixels on the screen change colors faster. This way, it won`t slow down and you won`t see ghosting and stutters on the screen while you game.
Use Overdrive Gears

When you use overdrive gearing, your car`s engine speed decreases. Using overdrive saves fuel and reduces engine wear.

This function means Overdrive, which is usually found in automatic transmission cars allowing you to drive faster. The O/D is the highest gear in an automatic transmission. This unit reduces the engine RPM down to a certain speed to accelerate and make the vehicle more fuel-efficient.
Typically, you should disengage overdrive when towing a trailer. This is due to the heat that can be created with overdrive on – both from the vehicle trying to hunt back and forth between gears and from the engine RPMs not being high enough to cool the transmission.
Third gear either locks the transmission in third gear or limits it to the first, second, and third gear ratios.
Overdrive as a definition is simply having a faster transmission output shaft speed than the input rotation speed of the input shaft from the engine. This means torque is effectively being multiplied in a positive sense so being `overdriven`, creating a more effortless driving experience.
Along with gear slippage, low transmission fluid levels can also cause low levels of pressure, which leads to slower engagement when shifting gears. If you notice your transmission takes a second to engage when put into drive or reverse, it could be due to low fluid levels.
Sometimes, the problem can be as simple as a bad transmission pan gasket, but it can also be faulty seals, ruptured fluid lines, a leak in the pan or a crack in the torque converter.
To remove Overdrive from Google Drive: From the settings menu, select Manage apps. Find the app in the list and click the Options button. Select Remove this app or Disconnect from Drive.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Whats the cause of a whining tramsmission, blinking overdrive light, hesistant to shift properly?
ANSWER : As a rule, I NEVER change the transmission fluid on a vehicle with that high of a mileage unless it has replaced regularly throughout the life of the vehicle. Replacing fluid that is thick with new fluid can cause issues everywhere in the trans.

While performing this service, are you sure you replaced the seal to the trans filter and it seated properly without tearing the seal? If the filter did not seat properly it could cause your issue.

Did you fill it with the +F fluid? Is the fluid level correct while running? Fluid level is everything on a trans.

If all of the above is correct, I think either your have some ’funk’ floating around in your trans getting in some of your valve body jamming up some solenoids or the thinner viscosity of the new fluid is not creating the pressure you need due to worn components.

At 217k miles, you may try a flush service or you may need a new transmission. The whining noise is probably the torque converter slipping a bit due to the new fluid (which requires removal of the transmission anyways). If you would like to have a transmission fluid service done, a certified mechanic from YourMechanic can come to your home or office to perform this task for you.

Abs light, emergency brake light, steering wheel assist light, engine light, EPC light, traction control light
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.

No dash lights, back right tail light is out, no parking lights. Brake lights work though as does head lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.

Speedometer stopped working, o/d light blinking, check engine light and low tire pressure light are on
ANSWER : All of these problems are most likely linked together by a faulty wheel speed sensor. If the ABS light is on, a fault will be stored pointing to the faulty wheel speed sensor. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will have the equipment to pull the fault code and repair the correct wheel speed circuit or replace your wheel speed sensor entirely.

brake lights not working, cant shift out of park
ANSWER : The brake light switch is the most common failure that would make the brake lights inoperative for your car. However, a mere blown fuse can also be the cause. I recommend having a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, come and diagnose your brake lights to see if it is the switch or a fuse. Since you spilled a drink on the shifter you may of shorted the shift interlock and it would need to be checked. We often serve customers at their apartment complexes, so we would definitely be able to service your car at your resident parking lot.

2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine
ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.

Battery light goes on when I start car then turns off, if I rev engine light comes back until rpms go down. Abs goes comes on/off
ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.

The Battery Light is on and the lights and power mirrors are not working – 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320
ANSWER : Hi. If the Battery Light is on, this an indication that either the battery is bad, the alternator is not charging properly, or both of them are bad. Low battery voltage will cause the car to do abnormal things like have no headlights. There are other things that can cause headlights to not work as well, for example, a blown fuse, broken headlight relay, or, the most common cause, blown headlight bulbs.

I suggest you have a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine why the Battery Light is on and suggest the necessary repairs.