Hi Gorde,
Sounds like it could be the "clock spring" which is located under the steering wheel. This device transfer information from the touch pad to the control module. If you remove the wheel, you will have to rewind it 2 turns before reinstalling it. Usually the way you know that it is going south is intermittent operation with cruise control, horn wipers and headlight flash button. Each button on the smart wheel has an address and the control module knows who is requesting commands thru the contacts inside the clock spring. If you choose not to fix this, seek techs who have experience with smart wheels. Lots of wasted money spent while someone learns. Regards, Fred