F12 error and thermostat does not respond to touch or button presses reliably

Safety first: Do not pry open the front panel with power connected. Isolate power or remove batteries first.

Steps:

• 1. Clean the surface: Wipe the thermostat screen with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid solvents. Grease or moisture can affect capacitive touch.
• 2. Reboot the thermostat: Power cycle the unit by turning off the fused spur or removing batteries for 30 seconds, then restore power.
• 3. Check for physical damage: Inspect the front for cracks or signs of impact. If the glass is cracked, the touch layer may be damaged and require replacement of the thermostat head.
• 4. Test via app: If the thermostat is online, try changing temperature and schedules via the Ideal app. If the app works but local UI does not, the fault is confined to the touch panel or UI board.
• 5. Factory reset (if possible): If some buttons still work, perform a factory reset from the menu to rule out software issues.