Tactile feel—does it matter to you?

[John105]

It is a “thing” for me.

When I got a 10 yo LS430, I felt many of the switches and such were not up to snuff. We’re talking turn signals, wiper controls, power mirror (commonly stops working on them), power window switches, etc. after all the car is the flagship.

Flash forward to 2024. 2007 BMW 335 coupe, on driver door, pass power window switch snaps off. The component has always had excellent tactile feel and it’s made in Japan—4 distinct positions can be felt as both windows have auto up and auto down, in addition to up and down. The OE part is $210 and $156 was the best I could find online. Took a chance on a $23 aftermarket and it’s the same. If the tactile feel were different, I would pay $156 to get the original feel back.

Now back to the Lexus. Realized it’s not working on the pass side the way it should (all 4 windows have auto up, auto down). I know Toyota parts are super expensive but I didn’t expect $626.06. In searching aftermarket could not find any so here is a $35 aftermarket for an RX330/350. OE is $1202.47 (where does Toyota come up with these numbers):

84040-48140 - Window Switch - 2004-2009 Lexus | Discount Parts Monster

Window Switch - 8404048140. Genuine Lexus® Parts & Accessories. Manufacturer Warranty. From the Dealership to your Door. Experts standing by.

www.discountpartsmonster.com

They are all the same even for a Corolla other than the auto up, auto down.

I have since found LS430 which is gray, not black, for $44 aftermarket.

Some are over $400- $700, aftermarket! My hunch is they are all manufactured in one place and then packaged for wholesale/retail.

Tactile feel does matter to me, and I don’t think it’s a priority with Toyota at least mid 2000s.

But on this topic, it seems my E92 prioritized it too, more than the G series loaner I got. So in general tactile feel may be less of a priority, maybe in the days where screens do a lot…

Does tactile feel on controls in a car, matter, you you?

 

[jeepman3071]

I spend most of my job and most of my waking hours behind a computer. I hate the way everything is moving to touch screens. I like solid feeling controls on my cars and equipment. I recently recovered the steering wheel in my '98 Wrangler. The old wheel was starting to peel a bit after so many years and being a California vehicle. The new wheel makes driving it that much better.

 

[CharBaby]

The tactile feel of the interior controls is something that I have always enjoyed about most Honda vehicles. I can't say every Honda vehicle because I haven't driven every Honda vehicle. It's is something that Honda cars do very well along with engines(mainly 4 cyl engines) and manual trannies. I'm not saying that their V6's aren't good, they are indeed. It's just that I am more impresses with the I4's as compared to the V6's.

 

[supton]

Tactile feel is important, but on a 10 year old car, for me which is verging into beater territory, I can let some things slide.

 

[eljefino]

My 91 F150 has the oldest school turn signal lever. It only does turn signals-- no high beams, no wipers, nothing else! It is a stupid stalk that sticks out of a scratchy switch. Resistance goes up until it clicks into place.

Every turn signal stalk made since then that I've had has felt proper, with the blink-to-merge feature halfway to the click, and a proper feeling click.

In the 80s the Americans were way behind on this front. It's not that the quality was much worse but the perception was. Stuff like door handles and manual lock controls felt worse on domestic products.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

... ... .

Does tactile feel on controls in a car, matter, you you?

My cheap little Indian made Ford has great switch gear - based on previous gen Lincon stuff.
No fiddling to hit the up/down or auto up/down cut point. Nice tactile feedback- and lighted.

Get in wife's new subaru - where they "cost reduced" window the switch gear sometime after the 2017(?) model year

and its too easy to ride over the up/down and go right into the auto up/down. I try to crack the window a cm. and I end up fiddling for a half a minute to get it right. The stuff also looks and feels like throw-away packaging plastics; Cheap-Cheap says the birdie.

Wife says, " What the hay are you doing!!!??

I say, "your switches are poorly designed."

Of course she says, " I don't have a problem with them.!"

It appears to be an art or an effort lost to the rapid cad only design crew of today. - Arco

 

[JohnnyG]

Yes, important. I'll keep my 2018 MB for that reason since it has all buttons and no touch screens. Granted, some of the buttons are wheels and such, but still much better than touch screens IMO.

 

[Zee09]

I like my switchgear like my transmissions.
If I forget them while I'm driving I'm pleased.
I don't want them being memorable.

 

[PF52]

Get in wife's new subaru - where they "cost reduced" window the switch gear sometime after the 2017(?) model year

and its too easy to ride over the up/down and go right into the auto up/down. I try to crack the window a cm. and I end up fiddling for a half a minute to get it right. The stuff also looks and feels like throw-away packaging plastics; Cheap-Cheap says the birdie.

That's exactly how the window switches are on my WRX. It takes about three tries to get the window just how I wanted it. The fit and finish of the switches are fine, they're just too touchy.

 

[jeepman3071]

Tactile feel is important, but on a 10 year old car, for me which is verging into beater territory, I can let some things slide.

If it's a rusty beater then I get it, in New England cars reach a point where there is no return. Both of my cars are 14+ years old, but I have this problem, where I need to make sure they are still nice to drive and enjoy.

 

[wings&wheels]

Give me tactile feel and steam gauges! Clutch. steering, shift lever, rifle bolt, noticeable detents in rotary switches, smooth yoke travel with just the right resistance.... It is a disease, and currently the Germans do it best.

 

[shortyb]

I am a tactile fanatic. Even down to how a pen feels in my hand and glides across the paper. All switchgear, levers, buttons etc. in my 14 year old Passat are just about perfect. And they still to this day actuate with a Swiss watch precision that not many modern cars can duplicate.

 

[PF52]

At work, I had a Dodge Dakota truck for a few years.... It had an Overdrive On/Off button that had the worst tactile feel I've ever encountered. The switch was too lightly sprung, but it required too much force to make it click. I pretty much only pressed it just to laugh at how bad it was.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

2017 switchgear

2023 switchgear

 

[GMBoy]

The feel of a vehicle, to me, does include more than just the driving dynamics. The look and feel of surfaces you touch are very important and can make a car seem cheap or of quality. The one switch direction that I see (ex current GM steering wheels) that I simply can't stand is the steering wheel controls that are rubber over the switch - it has no feeling when pressing them and they feel cheap and worse yet they tear/rip over time from fingernails and look terrible.

 

[carviewsonic]

I imagine that high end German cars would have quality switchgear that could really be appreciated. Cars that I can afford to drive though, not so much.
The three cars I currently own have much better switchgear than the 80's cars I used to drive. Especially GM's 'everything on one stalk' they used to have on all their vehicles. The headlight dimmer was like breaking a knuckle every time it was used.

 

[IndyIan]

I'm not too picky for switches, as long as they work, are semi well designed and placed, and aren't rattling. Good enough.

Actual driving controls, I'm a bit more interested in, a meaty steering wheel, with nicely weighted steering with some feedback, manual shifter that feels like it connects to a transmission where you can feel the synchro's do their thing, reasonably solid brake pedal, those are nice to have, they make the Focus a bit more fun to drive than the average econo car.

The Outback isn't great at this, mushy brake pedal, too light steering, twitchy throttle pedal. I guess the shifter is pretty good for an automatic, and the flappy paddles seem like they came from a much sportier car. The touchy auto window controls are the only problems I can think of for the rest of it. Anyways, its what the wife wanted, so I guess its fine!

 

[Hermann]

It's kinda crazy that the cars you think would have marvelous switchgear often don't. 2005 Accord had above average tactile feedback. The 2008 Toyota Tacoma had great feel on the stalks but other items were a letdown.
The 2018 F-150 was a collection of cheap Chinese switches except for the stalks, which felt great.
The 2021 Venza was good overall but not fantastic. Seemed to be for a woman's touch. The 2022 Maverick's switchgear is above average. The control stalks are a 10 out of 10 , even the LKA button on the end of the left stalk, has a nice satisfying engagement. Window switches and HVAC physical buttons are cheap feeling. Hard to make small up and downs or to not engage the auto down when only wanting a cracked window. I do like the rubber coated dials on the rotary shift knob, radio volume and tuning and HVAC rotary dials. This is my first heated steering wheel, It heats up quickly and is thermostatically controlled. It does feel good in the hands but no real feedback from the road. Like if you hit a rock on the road, your butt can feel it, but does not come through to your hands.

 

[Trav]

It is a “thing” for me.

When I got a 10 yo LS430, I felt many of the switches and such were not up to snuff. We’re talking turn signals, wiper controls, power mirror (commonly stops working on them), power window switches, etc. after all the car is the flagship.

Flash forward to 2024. 2007 BMW 335 coupe, on driver door, pass power window switch snaps off. The component has always had excellent tactile feel and it’s made in Japan—4 distinct positions can be felt as both windows have auto up and auto down, in addition to up and down. The OE part is $210 and $156 was the best I could find online. Took a chance on a $23 aftermarket and it’s the same. If the tactile feel were different, I would pay $156 to get the original feel back.

Now back to the Lexus. Realized it’s not working on the pass side the way it should (all 4 windows have auto up, auto down). I know Toyota parts are super expensive but I didn’t expect $626.06. In searching aftermarket could not find any so here is a $35 aftermarket for an RX330/350. OE is $1202.47 (where does Toyota come up with these numbers):

84040-48140 - Window Switch - 2004-2009 Lexus | Discount Parts Monster

Window Switch - 8404048140. Genuine Lexus® Parts & Accessories. Manufacturer Warranty. From the Dealership to your Door. Experts standing by.

www.discountpartsmonster.com

View attachment 219291

They are all the same even for a Corolla other than the auto up, auto down.

I have since found LS430 which is gray, not black, for $44 aftermarket.

Some are over $400- $700, aftermarket! My hunch is they are all manufactured in one place and then packaged for wholesale/retail.

View attachment 219293

Tactile feel does matter to me, and I don’t think it’s a priority with Toyota at least mid 2000s.

But on this topic, it seems my E92 prioritized it too, more than the G series loaner I got. So in general tactile feel may be less of a priority, maybe in the days where screens do a lot…

Does tactile feel on controls in a car, matter, you you?

The prices are crazy, I had to replace one on my SAAB with a used one as new is no longer available at any price. The problem with that is the switch has to be coded to the BCM for it to work. No problem for me but without a Tech 2 and a Saab card it is near impossible.
I have no idea if the Toyota switch has to be coded or not but check first.

 

[jeepman3071]

I imagine that high end German cars would have quality switchgear that could really be appreciated. Cars that I can afford to drive though, not so much.
The three cars I currently own have much better switchgear than the 80's cars I used to drive. Especially GM's 'everything on one stalk' they used to have on all their vehicles. The headlight dimmer was like breaking a knuckle every time it was used.

Hondas have been pretty good in my experience. I love the way their manual transmissions feel, and the buttons are always pretty good. On the newer cars they are going back to buttons and knobs for a lot of the infotainment over touch screens. If I had to buy a new car tomorrow, I'd probably get an Accord or new Civic Si or Type R.