Intermittent OD off light

[oldshoman]

Here's the story. The car was sitting for around 6 weeks and the battery died. I jumped it and drove it but the battery was toast so I bought a new one. The OD off light first stayed on. After driving it will go off, then blink on and off. This is not annoying around town, but at 40 miles or so when it happens the car will drop in and out of 4th gear. I ran codes and there were none. I brought it to my mechanic and he said it was the switch.
The car has 140,000 on the original transmission. It shifts fine. I am going to drop the pan and change the filter.
Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions. I searched the forum and there were some posts on it but I wonder if anyone has anything else to add.

I just wanted to add some imformation. I just came back from a drive. A one point the OD light went off and the car drove fine. (The button itself is inoperative). Like I said, this all started with the car sitting with a dead battery. Other strange phenomena: The hood light is very dim as if it is getting very little current. The fuel gauge is pegged to the top...then at one point today it dropped down to 1/4 tank. I added 5 gallons and it went to 1/2. Later on today I went to use the car and it is pegged past full again.
I ran codes again and got 624Electronic pressure control solenoid circuit fault and 637 Transmission oil temperature circuit above maximum voltage. Something has to tie this all together, but ain't elementary to me ...My Dear Watson!

 

[hawkeye18]

The switches do act up over time. If the OD light is coming on and your tranny is shifting out of 4th, then... I'd say the switch is just activating.

You can remove them and clean/replace them.

 

[groove83]

I would suggest, try unhooking the button, driving the car around. If it still does it, then the wires are touching and causing the OD to go on/off...either replace it or just leave it unplugged, but that would be the quickest way to verify that it is actually the button causing the problem.

 

[projectSHO89]

It is common for the wires to wear through in the console where they exit the shift lever. Sounds like one of yours is intermittently shorting out.

Pull the console and inspect those first.

Steve

 

[ryan21288]

My friend has a similar problem in his 96 Mazda 626. Water is puddling up under his passenger side carpet. We have no idea where from and there are no cracks or rust on the car and i removed the whole headliner and moonroof to find that all the drains were fine.

 

[oldshoman]

Damn! I noticed water under the drivers side front mat. Thanks for the idea!!!

 

[oldshoman]

I lived with this for a couple of years. I am selling the car so I had to deal with this...no OD light and no gas gauge. I pulled the door trim and the rug on the driver's side. There are two wire harnesses with two connectors. One had gotten wet and corroded. I salvaged the good wires in the harness and soldered the other ones. This not only fixed the OD light, the gas gauge but the glove box light, vanity mirrors, and dome light switch also.