Disclaimer, I may be testing the stupid question rule!

I have a 2003 Ranger XLT, RWD with 5 speed auto and overdrive - about 140,000 miles and well cared for since I have owned it. Nearly 6 years without serious repairs and I know the previous owner (a neighbor) who has had it since new (also nothing serious reported). With that being said, I had a check engine light appear about 6 months ago while driving. I checked the code and diagnosed it as a faulty Oxygen sensor. Upon inspection, the forward O2 sensor wires in the engine bay had been chewed by a rodent (which may or may not have met its end soon thereafter beneath a shovel). I went to autozone, found the part, replaced it there and havn't thought of it since. Driving home yesterday, I coasted around a corner onto my street - probably second gear and while cresting the small hill there my truck downshifted and shuddered for as far as I know the first time. The O/D light in the corner of the dash began flashing so I pulled into the garage and grabbed my scan tool and it spit out a single P1131 Code. Again, I checked the sensor in the engine bay and a wire was swinging freely! There were even a few rat turds on top of the engine bay taunting me.

Potential stupid question time, Can a flashing overdrive light result from another electrical problem? Such as a chewed O2 sensor wire?
How can a O/D light flash without triggering a fault code?

I patched the wire well enough, (I'll replace it again soon) and drove without problem today for about 40 miles. No shifting issues, no sounds, no more blinking light. Also, no check engine light (which again) did not light this time around. I'd like to think there is no overdrive problem or transmission issue but I tend to not have any luck when it comes to things like this. I don't see any other indications of failing electronic connectors or wires but I obviously can't see everything. Can anyone advise? I'd hate to take it in to have someone tell me there's nothing wrong.

 

The two issues should be unrelated. Your scanner will not read Ford transmission codes, you need a specialized professional scanner in order to read those. If the O/D Off light was flashing, that means there was a fault somewhere in the transmission or it's circuitry, and there is a code stored in the system. If you have not removed the negative battery cable, the code should still be in there. Swing by a transmission shop and see if they'll hook their scanner up to your truck for free or a small fee. From there we can better tell you what may have happened, especially if the light returns.

The only correlation that your 02 sensors and your transmission wiring have is that they're in the same harness. Unless there's some sort of short to ground, pin fitment, faulty connector, or similar issue with the wiring harness itself, the 02 sensor wiring woes should not affect the transmission.