Hi my name is bruce, i have a 1998 windstar ford van, here is the problem, sometimes it wont **** and the speed odmeter won;t work, and sometime it shifts and the speed odmeter wont work, and sometimes it down shifts hard, it has 177,000 miles on it but the fluid look like new and it don;t smell like its burnt, and when you shut it off and restart it its sometimes normal. and it acts like its out of gas sometimes please help if you can and thanks for you time

Here is the culprit the spped sensor where the engine and transmission meet on the top to the left you will see this sensor it control the ODO and shift operation It is only bolted down by a 10 mm or 8 mm screw just one

VSS SENSOR COULD BE BAD.THE PCM USES SENSOR INPUT SIGNAL FOR TRANSMISSION CONTROL FUNCTION AND VSS SENSOR SIGNAL DRIVES THE SPEEDOMETER.MORE LIKELY VSS SENSOR COULD BE THE PROBLEM.

Well the 1st thing to do when it comes to those windstars is call the dealer and give them your vin code you can find this on your dash in the lower left hand conner of the windsheild, on ur title, insuarance card just in case ask them if that vechicale has any recalls outstanding if so take it in they are free to get fixed i love my fords but there mini vans just dont cut it start there

if that still gets you no where than you most likely have a bad silonoid in your transmission