Hardtouch vs Softouch?

Howey

Member
England
Howdy folks!

Would anybody know if theres a year range for softouch changing to hardtouch?

No idea which idiot thought softouch was a good idea!

Thinking of getting a hardtouch headlight switch if possible but at the same time not wanting to re-mortgage!

Faiing that may mod mine to accept a switch from a vag from same era like found in my old passat B5 or Ford Galaxy as mines only basic/poverty spec anyhow! Did find a thread on here from a few years ago but unable to find the magic Chrome bezel that was used!
 
The change from hard-touch to soft-touch happened between 2001 and 2002 model years.
So, only 2000 and 2001 cars had hard-touch buttons.

Cheers,

Tom
 
The change from hard-touch to soft-touch happened between 2001 and 2002 model years.
So, only 2000 and 2001 cars had hard-touch buttons.

Cheers,

Tom
Thats great info thanks Tom (Timmus) thats great info!
On a different note is it an involved job to code a second hand abs pump with same part numbers?

Many thanks

Howey
 
Thanks for this info. I am doing my best to delete all the rotten and scuffed hard touch from our 52 plate car.
What are the chances of finding a hard touch headlight switch unit?
 
The change from hard-touch to soft-touch happened between 2001 and 2002 model years.
So, only 2000 and 2001 cars had hard-touch buttons.

Cheers,

Tom

I have heard this before but, our silver A2 75, is the run out model, very basic on a 55 plate, all the switches are hard touch buttons, and certain that they have never been changed.
Could it be possible that it was an option at the time of sale if you wanted hard or soft touch?
 
I have heard this before but, our silver A2 75, is the run out model, very basic on a 55 plate, all the switches are hard touch buttons, and certain that they have never been changed.
Could it be possible that it was an option at the time of sale if you wanted hard or soft touch?

I've foudn that late 2004 and 2005 models have much less wear to their buttons than 2001-2004. I think perhaps Audi knew of the issue by this point and changed the paint a little to make it harder wearing.
 
I've foudn that late 2004 and 2005 models have much less wear to their buttons than 2001-2004. I think perhaps Audi knew of the issue by this point and changed the paint a little to make it harder wearing.
Good point, the buttons in the white one, 04 plate are in good condition and on Deva, the one I bought back from David.
 
I've foudn that late 2004 and 2005 models have much less wear to their buttons than 2001-2004. I think perhaps Audi knew of the issue by this point and changed the paint a little to make it harder wearing.
Bowing to your far superior experience but it is not true for my 55 plate FSI. Had the car over a decade and hardly touch the climate, just leave it on Auto, yet I have had to replace some buttons.

Andy
 
It could even be down to long term effects of solvents in the leather vs fabric seats affecting the atmosphere in the car when parked, or parking conditions i.e. full sun vs shade, or you choice of air freshener ?
Either way, soft touch was a stupid idea and having just read an article about planned obsolescence and the right to repair, my opinion on it is set in concrete.
 
Finger nails, hand cream/moisturiser, amount of use and neglect are the main causes of soft touch wear ?
 
Air fresheners, moisturizer and sunscreen on your fingers are worst enemy for all vintage interior plastic surfaces...
 
Finger nails, hand cream/moisturiser, amount of use and neglect are the main causes of soft touch wear ?

Hand cream takes the letters/numbers off computer keyboards, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was bad for soft-touch buttons too.
 
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Silly question but what is meant by softtouch and hard touch?
Soft touch switches etc were coated in what feels like a rubberised type paint. Hard touch versions had no coating so the finish was the bare textured plastic

Cheers Spike
 
It's not a silly question if you don't know the answer :)

Soft touch is the slightly rubbery textured paint that Audi covered the dashboard and coloured interior plastics of the A2 in from launch. Even more so as of the 2002 model year when it spread to all the black central console controls and headlight, B-pillar and window switchgear. As you'll no doubt have seen, it wears badly leaving white unpainted areas around the button icons beneath. Hard touch refers to all these switches and controls from pre-2002 cars, when they used a darker, smoother and much more durable paint, and/or unpainted black plastics.
 
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