HomePod volume goes down automatically, pauses, get stuck in reset loop, music plays automatically

My less than 2 year old HomePod (Gen 2) volume goes down automatically. When I tired to turn up the volume with the remote it just keeps going down. It like someone is pushing the (-) on the touch pad all the time, so when you try to turn it up with the remote they just fight each other and the volume keeps going all the way down. This was just one of many issues that I had.

I eventually called Apple phone support, who told me to take it to the Apple Store because it needed to be repaired. The technician at the Apple Store said that the touch pad was not working. He said they do not repair HomePods and offered to replace it for $240 since I didn't have Apple Care. I decided it wasn't worth replacing.

After reading about the problem and working with Apple, I learned that the top touch pad eventually goes out on most HomePod. Mine lasted about a year and a half before I started having all sorts of random problems.

Here are the problems the faulty designed top touch pad causes:

1. HomePod will automatically pause.
2. Volume automatically goes all the way down.
3. HomePod will get stuck in a reset loop, red light flashes on top, then white flashes, and goes back to red.
4. Music comes on automatically.

I experienced all the above problem on the 2 HomePod I purchased about 2 years ago. They have been unplugged and removed. I have a 3rd HomePod which is newer (only 11 months old), the touch pad on this one is still working. Now that the 2 faulty HomePod have been removed all the problems I was experiencing are now gone. At least until the touch pod goes bad on the newer one.

Apple HomePod cannot be repair. Regardless of what the internet says, they cannot be fixed with any "reasonable" amount of work. You cannot even open them with destroying them.

This is the only Apple product that I have ever owned that was a complete disappointment.

Any suggestions or similar experiences welcome.