2002 Ford Focus ZX5 Transmission Warning Light?

I have a 2002 ford focus ZX5. I was driving it and the transmission warning light came on, then my car died. It took 5 tries to turn my car back on. The light came back on, and my car died again. I was finally able to turn it back on and drove it straight home. I checked my transmission fluid and it's good, I checked to see if I needed to add more coolant and I didn't have to. What should I do? I want to be able to drive my car.

OBD 2 get code

Find local shop at ATRA.COM for more help shop will retrieve the code and give you a estimate to repair

Get the car towed to a transmission garage. Torque converter clutch could be locking up. You might need a new or newish car.

Take it to the dealer where they will use the factory scan tool to pull the transmission codes and do any repairs needed. Transmission shops will just try to sell you a rebuilt tranny.

We have no idea what's wrong. Have it checked by a mechanic.

Sounds like it might be overheating. Might be time to take it to a shop and get the transmission flushed, filter replaced, and new fluid put into it. You will know if its gotten hot by smelling the fluid. It will smell burnt.

I'm noticing you did not check the engine oil.

That IF ANYTHING (To the computer or sensors & YOU is the most important.) Lack of engine oil gives no OIL PRESSURE= DESTROYED ENGINE.
so is Really IMPORTANT! Not moderately… Really IMPORTANT. I don't care if the transmission fell out of the car… The computer does not care either

as it is not important.Could the wiring be messed up since 2002, possibly, stuff happens.
A warning light for transmission does not exist in most cars.

A warning light for low oil/no oil pressure exists in EVERY CAR & motor vehicle… IT IS "THAT IMPORTANT"!
Check to be sure Oil level is good and between the 2 marks. You should be good to go.
I don't need a code reader. You just need to check the engine oil dipstick before you put the key into the ignition.
You could be leaking or burning crankcase oil… Along with the gasoline. If you are then that compartment needs occasional checking to see the oil level is right. Like once a week.

If you pull the dipstick and the stick does not have any oil on it then you are 2 quarts low. The engine only holds 4 so half is gone. On a 16 year old car, it is to be expected… As you have well over 100,000 miles on the engine… Stuff wears down. Which is NORMAL. If you been running 5W20; thicken up to 10W30 regular motor oil. You can mix it by just adding it in. If you are running synthetic, you are burning/leaking expensive oil. You might want to drain it out and change the oil filter too and run 10W30 motor oil (say WalMart brand which is good oil and the lowest priced stuff I found)
Also while at WalMart buy a container of oil additive called "No Burn" to reduce the amount of smoke coming out of the tailpipe and reduce the stink of burning oil. 1 container per oil change. Do not overuse it or you will smoke big time. Add it in on top of a full oil change using 10W30 motor oil.
You will not notice a difference in performance, BUT the oil burning is slowed down and not visible. You should still check the car oil level every morning. Just to see how fast it is disappearing. Always have extra oil in the trunk or garage… To add to the car as needed. Do not overfill by much or it just leaks faster… Or in extreme cases of over filling, the engine will not run. Always check on flat ground so basically level… To get the correct reading on the dipstick.

Oil pressure is SO IMPORTANT that Honda started to put sensors in its small motors(such as lawnmower, gas engine pressure washer, and other gas engine tools and motorcycles so that if there's no oil, the engine will not START Period.

Honda is trying to PREVENT YOU DESTROYING THE ENGINE.

Maybe your 2002 FORD has that sensor, maybe not.

THIS IS WHERE I would start. It is the Logical place to start. The engine does not even care about the coolant. The old VW's and many motorcycles are AIR COOLED, SO THERE's NO COOLANT.
Just an Oil pressure light. When it turns on, you turn the engine off IMMEDIATELY.(you can't drive home, you are stuck where you are until you correct the problem.) which is: check the oil level and add for most likely the stick is dry of motor oil. Carry a grease rag with you and stuff in the engine compartment somewhere so it does not fall out so you can wipe the dipstick off before you reinsert it… And take the second reading after sticking the dipstick in to the bottom and count 3 seconds and pull. What you see is where the oil is at.

. I have been down to the bottom on my car and you could hear the dipstick hit the metal of the oil pan and pulled up a dry stick. I needed 4 quarts of oil for a 4 quart capacity crankcase. I had to walk to buy the oil cause I had none in stock and I did not want to trash the car by driving it. For $4 worth of oil?
I would lose a $1600 car and had no other transportation.

40+ year mechanic. Just common sense.