Session Descriptions

This workshop will cover the new Worldwide Harmonized Diagnostic System, SAE 1979-2, which is also referred to as On-Board Diagnostic on Unified Diagnostic Services (OBDonUDS). It will apply to all light-duty, medium-duty, heavy-duty, hybrid, spark, and compression engines starting in 2027. Its main impact will be through the scan tool's generic side, but it will communicate with all modules that contain emission-related data. The system will switch from technicians randomly selecting generic OBDII MODES to OBDonUDS Services that group related diagnostic information under each DTC. The workshop will include scan data collected from a variety of OBDonUDS vehicles.

Be prepared, not surprised, when these vehicles appear in your service bay. Know why your current scan tool software will not communicate with these vehicles.

Advanced Automotive & Marine Engine Diagnostics Using PicoScope 7

What if you could pinpoint an internal engine mechanical failure without removing a single component?

Designed for experienced technicians already familiar with PicoScope, this advanced 8-hour course goes beyond capturing waveforms and focuses on interpreting the mechanical events taking place inside a running or cranking engine.

Using PicoScope 7 and real-world diagnostic case studies from both automotive and marine applications, attendees will learn how to identify and isolate engine mechanical failures through non-intrusive testing techniques.

We'll explore advanced diagnostic strategies involving relative compression testing, crankshaft speed analysis, intake pressure pulsations, crankcase pressure analysis, waveform correlation, and in-cylinder pressure analysis to uncover problems such as valve sealing failures, incorrect camshaft timing, restricted exhaust systems, and other mechanical abnormalities.

Rather than simply identifying an unusual waveform, we'll examine WHY the waveform looks the way it does, WHAT mechanical event caused it, and HOW to use that information to pinpoint the failure.

Real-world case studies will demonstrate how these techniques can dramatically reduce diagnostic time, eliminate unnecessary disassembly, and provide measurable evidence to support an accurate diagnosis. Although some case studies involve marine engines, the diagnostic principles and testing strategies apply equally to automotive applications.

The goal: Diagnose the failure BEFORE reaching for the wrenches!

This advanced, hands-on course is designed for shop owners and managers who are ready to move beyond using AI assistants and start building practical tools that solve real problems inside their repair business. In this 3-hour workshop, attendees will explore how “vibe coding” can be used to create simple, useful applications, workflows, and automations without needing to be a professional programmer.

Building on the foundation of custom ChatGPT agents, this course will show how repair shops can use AI-assisted coding to prototype and build tools for daily operations, customer communication, internal processes, reporting, training, and more. Attendees will learn how to think through a shop problem, communicate the desired outcome to AI, test and refine the results, and develop tools that can improve consistency, save time, and reduce friction in the business. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of what vibe coding is, how it applies to automotive repair shops, where it can create immediate value, and how to begin safely experimenting with AI-assisted tool building in their own business.

This course is intended for attendees who participated in last year’s Custom ChatGPT Agents course and are actively using agents in their shop. Those who have not taken the foundational course or are not currently using agents should complete Unlocking Growth with Custom ChatGPT Agents in Your Auto Shop before attending this advanced session.

Ready to put AI to work in your shop? This hands-on course shows you how to create custom ChatGPT plugins that help your team handle everyday work with less repetition and more consistency. You’ll explore automotive examples drawn from Eurotech, including service writer tools for customer communication and maintenance planning, internal assistants that answer questions using your SOPs and HR policies, and technician tools that organize diagnostic information and improve repair documentation.

You’ll learn how to turn your shop’s instructions, documents, and examples into reusable skills within a plugin, then test and refine the results before sharing them with your team. Already using custom GPTs? We’ll cover how to carry those workflows forward and identify connections that need additional setup. You’ll leave with practical experience, starter templates, and a roadmap for using shop data from Tekmetric, Google Drive, and other tools. No coding experience required—bring your shop knowledge and a task you want to improve.

Fuel and oil deposits play a major role in accurately diagnosing today’s close-tolerance GDI vehicles with fast-acting fuel control systems. This class explores how and why deposit fouling occurs and how to interpret its effects in scan tool and scope data using the BASELINE diagnostic approach. Designed for technicians, service advisors, and shop owners, this eye-opening session covers critical diagnostic knowledge often missing from OEM training. Learn how incorporating this strategy into your diagnostic process can save time, prevent unnecessary parts replacement, and reduce drivability comebacks.

Stop guessing and start knowing! Customer complaints about mysterious noises and vibrations are notoriously difficult to diagnose. In this focused session taught by Pico Technology’s own trainer, Justin Morgan, you will learn how to turn subjective customer complaints into objective, actionable data.

This class covers the entire NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) diagnostic process from start to finish. 
    
Hardware & Software Setup: Best practices for mounting sensors and configuring the NVH interface.
    
Capture Analysis: How to interpret frequency graphs and 3D views to pinpoint the exact root cause (e.g., tire, driveline, or engine speed-related vibrations).

No OBD? No Problem: alternative techniques for setting up NVH software on vehicles that have no access to OBD2 data.
    
Pops, Rattles, and Noises : Using PicoScope7 to help isolate harshness like suspension pops and rattles. 

Ideal for drivability specialists and technicians ready to eliminate the parts-cannon approach to complex NVH issues!

Join moderator Matt Fanslow for TechTalks, an interactive session where technicians share real-world case studies, challenging diagnoses, and successful fixes. Learn from your peers as they walk through their diagnostic process, explain what worked, and share lessons you can apply in your own bay. Have a case study worth sharing? Contact VISION at info@visionkc.com or reach out to Matt Fanslow to participate. Bring your questions, share your experience, and discover what we can learn from one another.

• See your business from 30,000 feet. Step away from the daily fires and examine your shop as a whole. Are you working on the right priorities, or simply responding to what's urgent?
• Discover what your team may not be telling you. Does your team feel safe discussing weaknesses, inefficiencies, or concerns with you? Learn how to create an environment where honest conversations lead to real improvement.
• Identify your shop's true strengths. What does your business do exceptionally well? Are you fully leveraging those strengths to build your competitive advantage?
• Turn weaknesses into opportunities. Explore how to recognize operational gaps, leadership challenges, and areas of your business that deserve attention without creating blame or defensiveness.
• Look beyond your four walls. Consider industry trends, changing customer expectations, emerging technologies, workforce challenges, and competitive pressures that could influence your future.
• Create your own business analysis process. Learn how to bring this exercise home, involve your people, encourage meaningful participation, and turn their perspectives into actionable priorities.
• Decide what matters most. Not every challenge needs to be solved tomorrow. Discover how to prioritize initiatives so you and your team can focus on what will make the greatest difference.

The “Say Yes” Framework gives service advisors a practical, repeatable process for helping customers make confident, informed decisions. Learn how to turn digital inspection findings into clear, customer-friendly recommendations, communicate value effectively, and handle objections without pressure, gimmicks, or constant discounting. This course focuses on building trust, reducing confusion and hesitation, and creating greater consistency in approval rates, average repair order (ARO), and overall sales performance. Attendees will leave with a sales process they can confidently apply to help customers say “yes” with a clear understanding of the recommended work and its value.

Ready to put AI to work in your shop? This hands-on course shows you how to create custom ChatGPT plugins that help your team handle everyday work with less repetition and more consistency. You’ll explore automotive examples drawn from Eurotech, including service writer tools for customer communication and maintenance planning, internal assistants that answer questions using your SOPs and HR policies, and technician tools that organize diagnostic information and improve repair documentation.

You’ll learn how to turn your shop’s instructions, documents, and examples into reusable skills within a plugin, then test and refine the results before sharing them with your team. Already using custom GPTs? We’ll cover how to carry those workflows forward and identify connections that need additional setup. You’ll leave with practical experience, starter templates, and a roadmap for using shop data from Tekmetric, Google Drive, and other tools. No coding experience required—bring your shop knowledge and a task you want to improve.

What if the message you think you're sending isn't the message your customer is hearing? Sara Fraser and Tracy Capriotto will challenge you to step out from behind the service counter and experience your shop's communication from the customer's side.

Every day, your shop sends messages through texts, repair orders, estimates, and conversations. But what do customers really hear? And what happens when they don’t understand? This session dives into how your words shape trust, approval, and return visits. You’ll explore real examples and unpack what’s being said, how it’s being interpreted, and where small shifts can transform the customer experience. Some customers want every detail. Others just want the bottom line. Some need to feel heard before they’ll hear you. This class shows you how to flex your communication to meet all of them without losing your voice.

You’ll learn how to:
    Communicate value with clarity and confidence
    Break down complex info without oversimplifying
    Spot phrases that create confusion or mistrust
    Adjust your message based on how people listen and process
    Balance facts and feelings to build stronger connections
    Use repair orders to support your message instead of sabotaging it
    Participate in breakout conversations where real repair orders and shop stories spark new ideas.

Let’s turn everyday communication into stronger customer connections, greater trust, more confident approvals, and lasting loyalty.