This is an odd and seemingly trivial problem - but it's driving me nuts!

Several of the buttons on my Sharan aircon control unit have stuck in 'pushed in' position. This is confusing the system and I cannot (for example) get it to go into 'Auto' or 'Econ' modes. Currently it is just blasting out warm air.

Anyone got any suggestions of ways I can get the buttons to pop back out? Even better, how to stop them doing this again?

It's not like I spilled anything sticky like Diet Coke on the control panel!