My windstar2003 o/d light is blinking and trans will shift to 3rd and gets stuck ill have to kill it for a few mins to get it to back to first so i can drive it

welcome to USA Fixya,
the forum with Zero, Bakkie's, not a one here. in Grin'go land.

power loss has 50 causes, but just a few in physics.
ill not guess,.
1: engine bad, (lost compression or other internal problems(many)
2: bad spark , #1 all time cause, not doing TUNEUPS) MISFIRE
3: bad fueling (100's pages of text missing here,,,, take a class?)
4: EGR stuck open.
5: CAT melted (cat/conv ) (really this is #1, kills engine cant pump air)
6: transmission slip or clutch slip if stick shift trans)

50 causes, or more.
or 1 to 10 tests
wana test or GUESS?
your call.

pull the shifter try to free it if not trans. shop my 89 ford diesel got stuck in 2nd cost me $860.

change trans fluid and filter. trash in the fluid,once it warms up, the trash moves, when it cools down the trash settles back in causing it to shift improperly

Will it shift to 3rd shifting manually? Have you checked fluid level or any coded?

change the fluid. if that dnt help i have a used trans for sale [email protected]

Your transmission has gone in to a limp home mode or fail safe mode, trans computer has locked third gear to prevent any more damage. Needs a diagnostic scan to confirm fault code could disconnect battery for 10 mins and drive to see if problem reaccures. Trans computer common to fail.

you have a shift soiloid bad in the tran. pan

Ck your fluid level in the trans and shift through all the gears manually. You may want to replace the trans vacuum. modulator. It's inexpensive and easy to replace. Good Luck.

start car put it in neutral shift 4x4 lever into 4x4 low then drive a few feet. now shift main trans back to neutral then move 4x4 shifter back to 2wd high for normal driving then shift in drive and drive for a few min light should turn off..if nor disconnect battery for 15 min to reset computer and see if that does it. if that doesnt work you may need 4x4 linkage adjusted ..do you have a lift?

Last year in the summer of 2007 I had the same problem with my 1991 Accord dx. I replaced the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) and the light went out and the car has been driving fine every since.