# Soft Touch Paint Failure on Interior Controls



## hughross (Mar 5, 2005)

Soft-touch Paint Failure on Interior Controls
Introduction
Touaregs, like other VWs and Audis, have a "soft-touch" coating on many surfaces including dash buttons and switches. I am having problems with the soft-touch blistering and peeling. Here is what I have learned and the conclusions I draw.
The soft touch coating seems to be a vinyl or latex product that is spayed on at the VW/Audi factory. My service rep states that his customers have had peeling problems since it came out in in the1990s on VWs. It would not be such a bad problem if it was not on the red back-lit control buttons/knobs all over the car. 
VW used to consider this failure normal "wear and tear" and would not cover this under warranty outside of the first ~10K miles. They have since reversed that policy and soft-touch failure is cover for the length of the warranty.
My problem only started at about 30K miles and shortly after I moved from a hot (Denver, CO, summer highs in the 90sF) to a VERY hot (Phoenix, AZ, summer highs in the 110sF) climate. I never had this problem on my 2001 Audi A6 (Michigan, summer highs in 80sF) which uses the same soft-touch material on virtually identical surfaces and controls as the Touareg.
This summer in Phoenix I have had peeling of the headlight switch, driver's side climate control Heat/AC fan rocker switch, and on the plate around the power window controls on the driver door. In two of these spots I can see small blisters (~ 1mm) around the area that has peeled. 
Facts
Here is a summary of facts from my personal experience and what I have gathered from talking with others:
(1)	Soft-touch failure occurs most frequently on parts that are frequently touched. Common problem areas are the "1" button on the Homelink system, radio controls, headlight control switch, 
(2)	Many controls and surfaces that are frequently touched do not fail. For example, in my Touareg: The radio buttons did not fail. The "Auto" button on the climate control (touched much more often than the fan control) did not fail. Power window buttons have not failed though the plate around them has. Turn signal buttons have not failed. Moonroof switch has not failed (I use it frequently). Nor do I see others complaining of problems with these controls.
(3)	There seems to be an increased rate of failure in hot climates. My soft-touch failures only after I moved to Phoenix. The vast majority of reports on VW-Vortex are from people living in hot climates (Florida, Texas, etc). My service rep says he sees a higher incidence of soft-touch failure in Arizona than in more temperate climes.
(3)	Failure seems to be associated with blisters that rupture rather than a dissolving/melting of the material. I did not pay much attention when the problem first appeared on my headlight switch. But careful inspection of the failed power-window switch cover on the driver door and the fan rocker switch on the climate contril untit on the dash show small (1mm or less) bubbles under the soft-touch coating immediately adjacent to where the material is failing. Also, the failure is a peeling away of the soft-touch rather than an area where the material has dissolved. Finally, others have reported blistering on the VW-Vortex forums.
Theories on Mechanism of Failure
(1)	Environmental Solvents
Several of us speculate that solvents (sunscreen, hand lotion, cleaning solutions, bug repellant, etc) may be responsible for this peeling. Supporting this theory is the fact that reported failures favor controls . I am skeptical. Sunscreen seems out. I use sunscreen all the time and I never had a problem in three years with the Audi or in the first two years with the Touareg. Through that time I have consistently used the same two brands /formulations of sunscreen. My heaviest sunscreen use was in Denver (skiing) with no problems. The only cleaning material I use on these controls is a paper towel dampened with water. I do not use hand lotions.
(2)	Heat
My service rep believes that heat is at least a contributing factor. He says the incidence of failure seems higher in hot climates. Here in Phoenix the exterior high temp was above 110F every day for a month. When the vehicle sits on asphalt in the sun I am sure the interior temp must be well above 140F. Perhaps heat softens the soft-touch coating, may even cause it to blister, and it ruptures when I brush my hand against or touch the controls.
(3)	Faulty Factory Application (Improper Surface Prep)
The small (~ 1mm) blisters I see around the peeling areas are consistent with condensation on the surfaces at the factory when they were spayed with the soft-touch material. Alternatively, such bubbles could be created if there was excess water in the gas used as a propellant for spraying on the soft-touch material. I have seem this happen on an exterior painted surface. I had the rear cargo door of my Touareg sanded to bare metal, primed, and repainted after I rear-ended. Repairs were done in January and in Denver, CO. After preparation by the body shop atmospheric moister condensed on the bare metal before the coat of primer paint was spayed on. Small 0.5mm blisters formed under the paint within a year.
Conclusions
I am leaning towards a combination of faulty factory prep/application and heat. Human disease is often caused by a combination genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger. I suspect condensation or contaminants from factory workers may have gotten on some surfaces before the soft-touch material was applied. This contaminant prevented proper bonding of the soft-touch to the surface it is spayed on. Heat may further weaken the soft-touch material or the bond between the soft touch material and the surface upon which it is applied. Small blisters may result. Normal handling of the controls may then cause the blister to rupture.
Hugh
(Getting his soft touch controls replaced next week)


----------



## d.a. (Feb 27, 2005)

*Re: Soft Touch Paint Failure on Interior Controls (hughross)*

Wow.
Great writeup.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Soft Touch Paint Failure on Interior Controls (hughross)*

Hi Hugh:
My compliments on a very thoughtful, well written and objective analysis of the problem.
Michael


----------



## Emmasis (Dec 23, 2004)

*Re: Soft Touch Paint Failure on Interior Controls (hughross)*

I just had my entire nav system replaced due to this (and also the window switch)
there seems to be "sagging" on another button that I will take care of the next time it goes in.
a fellow arizonian 
Terrance


----------



## hughross (Mar 5, 2005)

Terrance,
Which conrols/surfaces failed on your nav system? Radio presets (perhahps more often used) or Fader button (probably less often used)?
Which poewr window switches failed? Driver's (most often use) or rear passenger (least often used)?
Any thoughts on the enviromental contaminant theory?
Hugh


----------



## Silver VR6 Corrado (May 25, 2003)

*Re: (hughross)*

Our Homelink #1, dash try back wall, drivers side door pull surround, and Drivers side fan switch are all peeling/bubbling.
We are in Vegas so it could be the temp thing.


----------



## mdjak (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: (Silver VR6 Corrado)*

Hugh, that was quite well done.
I wish someone would figure out why the stepper goes bad so often requiring buy backs and headaches for others and do such a write up. VW would probably pay for that.
My map button just lost it's "map." I'll live with it as long as the very poor drive train is fixed.


----------

