Hi Guys,
Oddly I experienced the same problem yesterday. I have a 97 Contour with a V6 automatic engine. The OD light flashes after a few minutes on the road. I've also noticed that when driving, the car takes another 2-4 seconds or so to get out of second gear and then lunges a bit and then everything seems fine.
Another add-on to the problem is that lately (within the last month or two) the shifter gets stuck in park and takes a good tug to get it into any other gear. I would assume I'll need a new shifter. The car has been in my possession since I bought it almost 10 years ago and the shifter/shifter assembly has never been replaced.
Thanks,
Mike