Preparing to go back to school can be stressful. Make that first day of school as stress-free as possible by following these simple preparation tips.

When it’s time to go back to school, you’ll have a lot of shopping to do. The kids need school clothes, books, notebooks, pencils, pens, new crayons, a computer or tablet depending on age and backpacks and lunch boxes. And, you may need a new car, especially if the kids have outgrown your old sedan. Stop by Johnson Bros. Ford to test drive a larger sedan or SUV so you have more room for bigger kids.

It’s easy to forget something during school shopping, especially if you have two or more kids. Some schools require some type of uniform, whether it’s an actual uniform or a requirement that students wear a certain color or type of pants and shirt. Creating a list with the help of your children, especially if they are older, will make your shopping experience less stressful.

For clothing and shoes, make a list for each child. Don’t forget the school’s requirements for color and style, gym clothes, a bathing suit if the school has a pool and any special clothing for extra curricular activities.

While some schools provide paper, writing utensils and other items needed, many schools now require that students provide their own, even at elementary level. If you do have to buy these things for grade school students, be sure to have notebooks, plain paper, writing paper with larger lines for the early grades, crayons, pens, pencils, a stapler, glue, a pencil bag, lunchbox and book bag for your grade school student.

Older children will need notebooks, pens, pencils, a book bag, a small lunch cooler and possibly a computer or tablet. Older children may need a notebook for each subject.

Visit Johnson Bros. Ford

Be sure to plan a stop at Johnson Bros. Ford to test drive a new vehicle or give us a call to set up a service appointment if you are going to keep your current vehicle. Ask your service adviser to do a complete safety check on your vehicle when you bring it in for maintenance.

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If your engine light comes on in your car you should bring your vehicle in to Johnson Bros Ford as soon as possible so a trained service technician can check the problem. Often, the service engine soon (SES) light comes on but the vehicle still runs properly. This doesn’t mean you should ignore the light.

What Does the SES Light Tell Me? The SES light tells you that there is something wrong with one of the sensors or the computer in your vehicle. The problem could be serious enough to cause the vehicle not to start, it could affect the performance of the vehicle or you may not notice a difference in the way the vehicle runs. It depends which sensor is malfunctioning.

Should I Ignore the Light if My Vehicle is Running Smoothly? No, you should not ignore the light. While it may seem like you do not have a problem, something is not working properly. It could be anything from an oxygen sensor sensing the wrong mixture to a problem with the computer. Often, when a problem arises, the computer will go into “limp home” mode. The vehicle may seem to run okay, but you will most likely notice issues. One of the symptoms is that the vehicle won’t have as much power. Generally, it will run rough if it’s in limp home mode.

Why Does My SES Light Shut Itself Off Then Come on Again? This is what is known as a “soft” code. The computer senses a problem in the engine, but as soon as the problem rectifies itself, it shuts the light off as it doesn’t store the code. While there are a couple of sensors that could send a soft code, the most popular is the oxygen sensor. If you have a soft code for an oxygen sensor, the problem is most likely in the engine, not with the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor senses the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. If there is too much that means the engine is not burning all of the air and fuel mixture in the cylinders. This is typically a problem in the ignition system — plugs, wires, coils, PCM/ECM or other ignition components.

I Checked the Codes with an Aftermarket Scanner and it Shows Several Codes: If your vehicle shows several codes that do not make sense, you could have a problem with the PCM or ECM itself. Since the computer cannot diagnose itself, it sometimes tells the technician that there is something wrong by displaying erroneous codes. For example, if you come up with a code for the coolant temperature sensor and the MAP sensor, along with the EGR valve and a code that means nothing and the vehicle is running fine, there is a good chance that the computer has failed.

Because everything on the engine affects something else, you should have a certified technician check the codes and repair the problems causing the SES light to illuminate. You may have a code for the oxygen sensor, but you will be wasting money if you replace it without checking the ignition or other components that affect the mixture. That is just one example of a problem diagnosing your vehicle yourself. You could have one sensor malfunctioning, which could cause another sensor to set a code. Contact a service technician at Johnson Bros Ford if your engine light is illuminated.

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When it’s time to buy a new vehicle, stop by Johnson Brothers Ford to test drive one or more vehicles. You can also visit our website’s “showroom” to find the vehicle with the best fuel economy, the most horsepower, the price range you are looking for or a combination of any of those.

For example, if you don’t care about fuel economy or horsepower, but you want a vehicle that is under $20,000, just move the right slider for the price down to $20,000. You’ll see that the Ford Fiesta in the hatchback and sedan versions and the Focus in the hatchback and the sedan versions are all under $20,000.

If gas mileage is also important, slide the left slider on for the fuel economy slider over. At 28 mpg, you end up with a 2016 Fiesta sedan that starts out at $14,580 and is in the 28-plus mpg range.

If you don’t care about price or fuel economy and just want a lot of ponies, leave the price and fuel economy sliders wide open and move the left slider on the horsepower over to the right. You’ll find that the F-450, the Mustang convertible and the Ford Mustang coupe have at least 430 horsepower.

To learn more about the models that you are interested in, just click on the vehicle’s picture. It will take you to a page with a list of colors, some of the standard features and a list of trim levels. The trim level list also shows you which engine and transmission comes standard with that trim level.

You can also expand specifications to see convenience features, off-road capability, the warranty, entertainment features, specs and dimensions, seats and trim, the powertrain, body exterior, suspension and handling, safety and security, lighting, visibility and instrumentation.

Visit Johnson Brothers Ford

Stop by Johnson Brothers Ford to research a new vehicle by starting out with a test drive. During the test drive, you’ll learn more about your favorite model including the trim levels available, standard options on each trim level and available options for the various trim levels.

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