80q headliner nightmare

[Brett Goetz]

Hi Megan,
Her is a summary of headliner repair of took from Audifans and the Saab 
Network and condensed into a document.  Hope this helps!!
Brett in NC

Audi Headliner Replacement

Quick Fix
Pull the rear of the molded headliner down a little, separate the fabric 
from the backing, and drill pairs of holes in the backing in six places 
from left to right.  Stitch it together with a U-shaped upholstery 
needle.  Capture the material with the rubber molding trim that presses 
on from the back.

If the back of the headliner is loose by the back windshield and 
everything else is in place, here is another quick fix.  Remove the 
molding strip that holds the headliner in place along the back 
windshield.  Use a strong adhesive (I used Goop plumber's cement:  it's 
all I had at the time) and run a line of glue along the edge.  Work from 
one side to another and attach the headliner to the glue line.  Use the 
headliner molding strip and use this to keep the freshly glued headline 
from falling.  Use a plastic putty knife to work the headliner into the 
molding and smooth out wrinkles.

Overall, I'd say it's a clean solution--a lot better than the sheet 
metal screws I was tempted to run in there! Glad I didn't do that--if it 
hadn't been tight enough the first time, it would have been a real 
eyesore. However, I agree with others that contend that no one ever 
looks back there anyway.

Recovering your one piece headliner

Note: You must remove the sunroof to remove the headliner.

A common problem with one piece headliners is that they fall down or 
sag. The reason for this is that the foam the fabric is bonded to 
disintegrates, allowing the fabric to fall; very annoying. The solution 
is to replace the fabric (or vinyl) with new, while using the existing 
shell to maintain the original shape of the headliner. The first thing 
to do is remove the headliner. In most cases, you may use the following 
shortcut: remove all hardware that bolts through the headliner, such as 
the visors, coat hooks, dome light, and sometimes the rear view mirror. 
Then, by grabbing the headliner by the dome light opening and patting 
toward the edge, move the headliner toward one corner of the vehicle, 
allowing the opposite sides to come out from the surrounding molding and 
dropping down slightly into the passenger area. With the dropped corner 
below the surround moldings, work the headliner back in the opposite 
direction, releasing the other two sides and allowing the headliner to 
drop out completely. You may also do this side to side and front to back 
if that is more comfortable for you. You may now remove the headliner 
from the vehicle. You may accomplish this by sliding the headliner 
toward the rear of the car and dropping the front of it down below the 
steering wheel, then moving the headliner, front first, out the 
passenger door. It helps if you can recline the front seats a little 
when doing this. With the headliner out of the car, you are now ready to 
remove the old covering. First, peel off the old fabric. You will see 
the disintegrating foam underneath. The easiest way I have found to 
remove this foam is with 36 or 40 grit sandpaper. I merely drag the 
sandpaper across the foam until it is gone. The old foam usually balls 
up and can be swept away. It is OK to leave the thinnest layer of foam 
(it will look like paper) on the shell. The main thing is to get the 
majority of it off and to have a smooth surface. If you have any cracks 
or holes that need repairing, you can use masking tape for that. When 
your shell is prepared, you are ready to recover it. Begin by placing 
the new material on the shell and positioning it where you want it to 
end up. Then fold back half of it over the other half, exposing half the 
shell. Spray or brush contact cement on the exposed half of the shell 
and the backing of the exposed half of the headliner. Allow the glue to 
set up. You can test the glue by touching it, and when you no longer 
stick to the glue, it is ready. Now roll the headliner fabric so that it 
begins to adhere to the shell. Then take the corners of the headliner 
fabric and flip the rest of the glued half over the shell, but do not 
allow it to touch. If you feel nervous about this procedure, you may 
place wax paper over the shell to prevent the glue from adhering. Of 
course, you must remove this before the headliner will stick to the 
shell, but it will help prevent you from sticking the fabric where you 
don't want it. Now, while holding the corners, pull slightly toward each 
corner and then place the headliner fabric on the shell, smoothing from 
the center towards the corners. The gentle pulling towards the corners 
will help mold the fabric to the correct shape. When this half is 
complete, do the other half in the same manner. Then trim the edges 
about 1/4 to 3/8" long. Cut out the holes for the dome light and 
sunvisors, and poke an awl through where the coat hooks go. You can 
install the headliner the same way you took it out, making sure that it 
is properly aligned so that all the holes line up. I use an awl to find 
the holes. You might want to use a putty knife with the corners rounded 
to help tuck the edges under the surrounding moldings. I recommend that 
you use the fabric, rather than vinyl, because it is so much easier to 
shape, and it is lighter weight and less likely to fall down.

Removal
The front part of the headliner is held up by trim and glued in only two 
places.  There is some high-density foam glued to the liner and the 
roof.  I used a sharpened pry bar to work through the foam as close to 
the liner as possible.
There is no adhesive until you get about 12 inches behind the sunroof. 
That is some sticky stuff; I couldn't believe how adhesive it was after 
12 years.  Anyway, I slowly worked backwards cutting with the pry bar 
and levering by hand to minimize damage to the cardboard.  With some 
gentle persuasion, the whole thing came out the back door.

I got quotes for applying new material to the shell for $200-250, but 
found a place that did it for $110 and did a good job.

Installation
Remove the sunroof mechanism.
Remove the steering wheel.
Remove rear cargo shelf and all trim parts.  I pulled all trim parts 
that even remotely looked like they might get in the way.  I didn't want 
to have an adhesive slathered headliner rubbing up against trim parts.

Note:  I tried removing the D-pillar trim.  The trim clips were no 
problem but the rear window sealant sure was! It seems like somebody on 
the assembly line was a tad generous with the sealant and glued the trim 
pieces in along with the window.

Recline front seats all the way back and lower as much as possible.
Remove the rear view mirror.
Slide the headliner shell in car.  I actually went in through the front 
door towards the back.  Bentley calls for going in the rear door, 
however with the steering wheel off it goes in much easier through the 
front.
Spray shell with 3M Super Trim Adhesive according to the instructions.
Reach in through sun-roof opening and lift headliner into place.
Attach sun visor clips.
Press the rear of the headliner up against the roof.  I wedged a two 
foot long piece of 2x12 up with a 2x4 to get a good contact patch.
Put all those little trim pieces back on.

I was having a tough time getting the sunroof to align properly because 
I was confident I knew better than Mr. Bentley; I didn't)  Follow the 
step-by-step procedure in the Bentley manual and you'll be glad you did.


Replacing the Sunroof Panel

I finally worked up courage to tackle the job of reattaching the narrow 
panel of headliner fabric to the sunroof tilt-up section. Funny how that 
kind of job can take a back seat to other stuff that tends to be more 
"in your face". I thought I'd describe the procedure, in the hope that 
others may avoid the weeks (months?) of procrastination, I went through. 
Sorry this post seems long enough to describe an engine overhaul.

(1) Old adhesive removal: perhaps optional, but I think it is needed to 
guarantee a long-lasting repair. I had a few ounces of acetone available 
and found that it worked well on the sunroof's metal "flap". Don't be 
too stingy with it; apply it somewhat liberally (using a 
solvent-dampened cloth) and you should see the old, dry adhesive 
disappear leaving a smooth, clean painted metal surface. Use plenty of 
ventilation (a fan, an open garage, etc.).  The same solvent can also be 
used (but more carefully) on the rubber backing of the headliner panel, 
but I found that it was easier to simply rub off the old 
glue--dry--using a clean piece of shop rag. Too much acetone and the 
rubber seemed to be affected. Perhaps another solvent would work better. 
Oh yeah, some old towels or sheet to protect upholstery.

(2) Adhesive: I used 3M "Super Weather strip Adhesive"--a rubber cement. 
A 5oz. tube cost about $5 or $6. That is enough stuff for 10 of these 
jobs, but unfortunately, this kind of adhesive doesn’t seem to have a 
great shelf life. Initially I tried to use an old, but almost unused 
tube that was sitting in my workshop, but I found it contained a dry, 
non-adhesive glob. Make sure you use fresh adhesive. Permatex also sells 
something (around 3 oz. I believe), with the same name. I decided 
against using any kind of spray adhesive, considering the need to apply 
it to the sunroof, inside the car.
(3) Application: I did a couple of dry runs first--very strongly advised 
when rubber cement is to be used. I found that the cloth panel could be 
easily pushed to the outside of the car with the sunroof fully tilted. 
Just give it a little push from inside and you can pull it all the way 
out with no problem. Practice replacing it in the same way--from the 
outside. Lay the panel flat on the (clean!) roof, tip it slightly up at 
the rear and push it forward so that it drops into the roof opening. 
Someone inside the car can help guide it (very gingerly) into place and 
keep it centered. The crucial trick--when glue is present--will be to 
keep the headliner panel from any premature contact with the metal 
sunroof panel. It's also possible to remove/replace the headliner panel 
through the inside roof opening, but I didn't choose to do it that way.

I placed strips of masking tape around the edge of the roof opening to 
keep off any glue during the next step. The masking tape was removed 
before the cloth panel was inserted.

I chose to first apply beads of glue overhead to the sunroof panel (roof 
tilted up) running no more than a 10 or 12-inch-long bead at a time. 
Each glue bead is _immediately_ spread out with a flat wooden applicator 
(about 1/2" wide, like a popsicle stick?). Don't worry about getting 
100% coverage. I think 50-75% coverage is plenty--making sure the center 
area and perimeter is glued. Also, take reasonable care to match up the 
glue-covered areas on the two surfaces. The best bond requires cohesion 
between the glue layers on each surface. Avoid getting glue too close to 
the forward edge of each panel--where there seems to be the greatest 
danger that they might stick together before the positioning is 
satisfactory.

Then quickly, in a similar way apply adhesive to the rubberized back of 
the cloth panel. Avoid placing glue along the forward (approx. 3/4") 
edge, as previously mentioned. If this is completed within a few 
minutes, the glue on the first piece has probably dried sufficiently, 
and the glue on the headliner panel will be approaching proper "dryness" 
as soon as you can get it back in place. Carefully guide it in place 
making certain not to let it touch the upper panel as it goes in. Tap it 
gently from side to side to get it centered. A 12" long, flat stick 
(like a paint stirrer) can be used from outside to press the cloth panel 
downward and/or push it forward as needed.  Have a helper inside! If 
necessary, use the stick to break apart any spots of premature, unwanted 
bonding between the two pieces, if that should occur.

When the cloth panel is lying flat in the roof opening and well 
centered, turn on the ignition switch and lower the sunroof (i.e., 
un-tilt it). The panels should come into contact and be in correct 
registration; you now can apply some upward pressure to bring them into 
good contact. I just ran my (clean!) fingers firmly along the cloth 
panel, although there is only some spring tension to work against, even 
when the sunroof is closed.

The following method worked very well for me: I got a Viking Upholstery 
Brush, Item# 995800 or 995810, at Auto Zone for less than 4 dollars.  I 
highly recommend this specific brush for this application, and it works 
well for cleaning carpet too.  With the brush dry, lean the backboard 
against a wall outside, and go over the board to remove all of the loose 
foam debris. Now, sweep away the pile of foam from the floor, and get a 
big plastic bowl and a rag. Wet the brush, and scrub down the board, 
dipping and rewetting the brush frequently.  Next, go over the backboard 
with the wet rag, dipping frequently, from top to bottom, working 
across, to wash off bits of foam and dirt. Empty the bowl and fill it 
with water and dish soap.  Scrub the board with the soapy brush, top to 
bottom, and repeat with the soapy rag.  Now, brush it down a final time 
w/ clean water, and do a clean rag rinse.  Let dry for one hour or so, 
and you’re ready to go.  This process is fairly quick, and will not 
remove the old glue. When you're done, you want to have a surface that 
feels like dry rubber cement to the touch.  I was told by the trim shop 
that it was not necessary to remove this tacky glue.

Headliner Shell Repairs
To reattach broken off corners, or to fix and reinforce cracks, try this 
method.  Get a dual syringe of Permatex Quick Set Auto Epoxy QM-50A at 
Auto Zone. Also buy a piece of Bondo Fiberglass Cloth. It is important 
to get the cloth, not the mat.  To reattach corners, first dry-fit the 
piece to make sure all is well.  Then, mix up some epoxy with a stick, 
and wipe onto both the edge of the piece and the edge of the backboard, 
and put the piece in place, holding it for about 5 minutes.  For cracks, 
follow the same basic procedure.  Now for reinforcement.  Cut a piece of 
fiberglass cloth about 1/2" to 3/4" wide, and the length of your repair. 
To reattach front corners of the backboard, you may want to try three 
small pieces of fiberglass. Do not cover the visor screw holes. Mix up a 
big glob of epoxy, and using your finger, smear epoxy into the crack on 
the BACKSIDE of backboard.  Cover an area slightly larger than your 
fiberglass strip.  Now, put fiberglass in place.  Press it down w/ a 
clean finger until it is smoothly adhered, and begins to turn clear. 
Next, carefully smear on another layer of epoxy over the fiberglass.  Be 
careful not to pull too much fiber material from the cut, fraying edges 
of the cloth.  These repairs will be very strong and durable.  Wait 
until the glue dries (3 minutes), and have a helper hold up the corners 
of the cloth as you press it down, starting in the middle, with your 
hand.  Do not stretch the material, but make sure it goes down smooth, 
and all bonding starts from the middle. Make SURE that the edges do NOT 
touch before you bond the rest of the cloth.  This is CRITICAL on the 
sides, where the board curves sharply.  Do the curved surface, then, let 
the edge touch. There is no room for mistakes - this stuff bonds 
permanently and instantly.  Once you've done half of it, you can take a 
breather. Use a coffee mug's smooth lip to smooth and press the sharp 
curves, and its sides to do the large flat areas.  A dinner plate also 
works well for curves, as you can vary its angle to get different 
curvatures.  Do not do a lot of final pressing and slicking with your 
hands.  Your fingers will leave depressions in the fabric, which may or 
may not eventually go away.  The cup and plate are the way to go.  Glue 
the other side in this same manner, being sure you cover up your 
finished side before folding the cloth back.
I bought the material at an automotive trim shop. They sell the 
headliner material by the yard and it comes in a variety of colors. It 
comes in two thicknesses also; I wound up with the thicker (I think it 
was 0.25 inch); the thinner (can't remember exactly but it was probably 
just 0.125 inch) would be better but it wasn't too important. My shop 
didn't have the thinner material in the color I wanted. I was able to 
match the old headliner color almost perfectly. I think enough material 
to replace my old one cost about $20. The glue is much more expensive: 
$14 a can and it takes just a little over one can. Don't scrimp on the 
glue and forget the 3M product (been there, done that). I used "Super 
Bond Trim Adhesive" by SOSMETAL Maintenance Products (for 
professionals). Sosmetal No. 211417; bought at the trim shop.
Strip off the old headliner material; mine came right off. I then used a 
stiff wire brush to clean off as much of the old glue as possible from 
the hardboard liner. The old glue is yellowish-orange. The more you get 
off the better although getting the old panel absolutely clean isn't 
imperative. The new headliner material is foam backed and the foam 
backing will disguise any old balled-up glue that you leave behind. Be 
sure to clean your hands REALLY well before handling the new material. 
Spray a good, thorough coat of glue on the panel. If I remember 
correctly, after the glue set up on the panel, I then laid some wax 
paper over the glue-covered panel and then carefully positioned the 
headliner material (you'll definitely need some help doing this part). 
Working from the center of the panel, first spray the material with a 
coat of glue and, after it sets up (only a few minutes), remove the wax 
paper a strip at a time and press the material into position on the 
panel, working from the center toward the sides and the ends, work out 
any bubbles, etc.  Be advised that once the glued fabric meets the glued 
panel, it's stuck pretty much forever so caution would be a good thing. 
  Leave about an inch or two around the entire panel. After you've 
gotten the material attached to the panel, go back and trim off the 
excess with a sharp razor. I folded about a half-inch of material around 
to the back side of the panel to make a trim appearance (this is where 
the thinner headliner material would be easier to work with.  After it 
was all done, I then used a brayer (a little roller used in newspaper 
composing rooms and art departments) to roll down the material evenly 
over the entire panel to make sure it was firmly attached.




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