At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we know that diesel engines play a huge role in many of our customers' daily ways of life. If you drive a Duramax, Powerstroke, or Cummins diesel pickup, you obviously appreciate the power of the diesel engine. Diesel engines are prevalent all over the road, but where did it all start, and why are diesel engines most commonly found in trucks today? 

Did you know that airbags weren't mandatory safety equipment in passenger vehicles until 1997? Now, you'll find them in well over 100 million cars and trucks on the road. Since their invention, airbags, along with the seat belt, have played a major role in reducing the number of injuries and deaths in traffic collisions.

Your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot of clean air. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, we ensure you get the best air quality in your vehicle and explain the process of where this dirty air is going to our area drivers. 

Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.

If you own or operate a fleet of vehicles or a commercial truck, chances are you’ve encountered a bad ball joint or two. How do you catch one before it breaks, and why is it important? Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO has the answers.

At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we understand that the care for your vehicle is in the details. Transmission work, more so than any other type of maintenance or repair, requires a keen eye and specific know-how.

Whether you drive a Chevy, Ram, or Ford diesel pickup, we have you covered. At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we can do it all - and a big part of that is done by employing ASE certified technicians.

Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you perform proper maintenance, however, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years. Your vehicle's radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine but a vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used, which is where a car battery comes into play. The battery holds electrical energy while a car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion.  What you don't want is to have a bad battery!!

A good technician will give your vehicle a quick inspection whenever you have maintenance performed. Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance. At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we're good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your vehicle. You know when your vehicle feels off when its been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop:

At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, we know that in order to keep your car in good shape, it helps to know how it works. Here’s a quick rundown of a system that’s very important, but you take for granted until there’s a problem; your brakes.

At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, our expert mechanics are here to work for you. On large commercial trucks, there’s one component that works harder than almost all the rest; your brakes. Our technicians have the knowledge and ability necessary to have your truck stopping like the day it rolled off the lot, no matter what the problem is.

Your bumper covers are always in danger. Between other drivers, obstacles in the road, flash floods, or any other hazard you may encounter, at some point it’s likely your bumper covers will accrue some damage. At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we can fix that.

There may come a day when you go to shift your vehicle out of “Park”, and the shifter refuses to move. Perhaps you are already experiencing this issue intermittently, or currently have a vehicle stuck in park. While this is a serious inconvenience, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem; let Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO put your mind at ease.

In life, you learn that more expensive doesn’t always mean better. When it comes to transmission fluid, does it matter? Are name brand fluids better than the cheapest option? Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO has the answers.

In the automotive business, the customer is just as important as the vehicle and the customer service is just as important as the auto repair. That is why at Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair, we strive to provide only the best customer service to our clients.

At Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO, we service all types of transmissions, on any car, truck, or SUV. This includes both All-Wheel Drive and Four-Wheel Drive vehicles, but you may be wondering...what’s the difference? Both types of vehicle supply power to all four wheels, so why use two different terms? Due to the increasing demand for AWD and 4WD vehicles over the last decade, equipped on everything from sports cars to pickup trucks, more and more people are asking these same questions.

If you’re ever in a situation where you must remove the battery from your vehicle, it’s important to know what you’re doing. It seems pretty straight forward, and it is. However, there are some important things to remember when disconnecting the battery in your car, truck, or SUV. Here are some tips on disconnecting a car battery, from Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, MO.

If you’ve owned a vehicle long, particularly one with a few miles on it, you have probably encountered a peculiar smell that grabbed your attention. Scents that you encounter while driving (emanating from your vehicle, not the horse farm down the road) are indicators of your vehicle's health and often the first warning that something may be wrong. Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City has assembled this list to prepare for you for the next time you smell something odd, so you’ll know what’s going on next time you notice a funny smell.

Your brakes have a lot to do with how your car drives. Brakes are a frequently neglected item on a lot of people’s checklist, and many drivers on the road have subpar brakes and don’t even know it. A car that brakes well and brakes correctly are just as important as acceleration, handling, or any other aspect of a vehicle’s drivability. A car with brake issues has the potential to be a far more enjoyable ride when fixed.

Obviously, your brakes are essential. However, it’s easy to neglect or ignore brake issues, and even miss them altogether; as long as the car, truck, or SUV still stops, many people don’t see the need to have their brakes serviced. From Donnie Braun & Sons Auto Repair in Jefferson City, here are some common brake issues, and why you should fix them.