Why would the OD Off light be blinking while the check engine light is on in 1996 Mazda 626 Dx Sedan?

Commonly, the OD blinking and subsequent CEL are due to the tranny overheating. Most common on the 4 cylinder (AT) models. OD light blinking implies the tranny is overheating. the CEL appears when the tranny is significantly overheating. Frequent fluid changes and an auxillary tranny cooler can help extend the life. It appears that the transmission on the 4 cylinder is simply undersized.