Falling Headliner

[Kent McLean]

DeWitt Harrison wrote:
> I don't think somehow squirting some adhesive up in there
> and pressing the fabric back up would turn out well.

I don’t think it will, either. There’s nothing solid for the fabric to adhere to.

Type 44: there’s the exposed fabric you see which adheres to a thin foam layer which adheres to a formed cardboard panel.  The foam deteriorates, letting the fabric droop.  I suspect Dan's A4 is the same. 

If Dan has the patience, he should be able to remove the headliner, formed panel with attached fabric. DO NOT try to peel the fabric off. On the Type 44, it would let loose lots of sticky orange bits of foam that would get everywhere and be impossible to clean up.

Once you have the panel out, you could take it to an auto upholstery shop and have them re-fabric it, or you could attempt it yourself. Remove the foam somewhere far away from anything you care about. But you are trying to forcefully scrape a delicate panel. Be gentle. You should be able to find decent fabric at a fabric store, and a spray on adhesive (3M for a brand) will have it looking like new. Installation is reverse of removal, if you can figure that out.

This link gives a how-to for the A6; I would think an A4 would be similar. The A6 backing panel looks a little better than formed cardboard.
http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a6-s6-c5-platform-discussion-7/headliner-removal-pics-warning-very-long-1723569/

—
Kent McLean
’02 VW Beetle TDI and lots of ex-Audis, including Bad Puppy