Three problems related to overdrive light on have been reported for the 2001 Ford Escape. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2001 Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the 2001 Escape.
After the contact was pulling out from a highway on October 11, 2005 the vehicle acted like it was losing power. It would slow down, and then it would only go less than 10 mph. When this occurred the overdrive light started flashed. Three of the children in the car sustained minor injuries. The contact stated that seven months before she had the transmission flushed. There were no problems at that time. The contact took vehicle to the dealership, and they said that the computer showed the code p0733, that the problem was with the automatic transmission, and it would need to be replaced. The contact found that there were other people with similar transmission problem. .
The o/d light started flashing . I drove the vehicle about 5 miles to my driveway. When I went to move the car it wouldn't go in reverse. Contacted dealer with no results. Sent car to transmission shop and had a rebuilt transmission put in.
O/d light flashes, transmission will not engage in d, sometimes in 2 or 1. Reverse works fine. If car moves starting in 2nd gear, then it can be shifted to d and all gears work normally, even if restarting from a full stop.