2001 Ford Explorer 2 part question with tranny and suspensi

First issue is my overdrive. The overdrive works and is engaged all the time, i only hit the button when going up steep hills or towing, i rarely ever tow anything at all and i due live in southeast kentucky in moutainous region and need to "downshift" to climb the hills my problem is when i hit the button it does nothing but stay in OD. no light no nothing. tranny does not slip or anything like that.The fluid filter and gasket were changed at 146000 miles. It just simply cannot get out of OD when needed. Question 2 same veh. when making right turns or on "bouncy" roads i get a noise that kinda reminds me of bed springs bouncing.. no change in steering from before the noise, no excessive bouncing, just a rather irratating noise