Re: headliner - How to replace

[Christopher Cooley <chriscooley@worldnet.att.net>]

Had to replace mine about 3 weeks ago...some lipstick got smudged all over the
place and a high heel  ripped a gash about 5 inches long.  Its not what you
think...

Anyway, Chuck's desciption is great. THe only advice I would add relates to the
re-install.  Eventhough you can clean your hands very well, the skin oil deposited
will be a future attractant to dirt/dust.  I would recommend the use of latex
gloves.  I know, sounds a bit overkill...just trust me.

-Chris
the immaculate '97 GLX version

Chuck Van Pelt wrote:

> Angie,
>
> Your Jetta is named Fernando? Are you an ABBA fan? ;-)
>
> Anyway, I _just_ replaced my sunroof and had to pull down tha headliner. I
> was lucky enough to be able to watch a mechanic pull the used sunroof I
> bought from a junked 97 Jetta. If I can do it, anyone can. Keep in mind
> that I have a 95 Jetta GLX, but the process should be similar for other A3
> years. Here's how ya do it (including some special tips that you won't find
> in the Bentley manual...):
>
> BACKGROUND:
> The headliner in this car is made up of a single stiff piece of
> fiberglass-backed fabric. It is held in place by plastic trim pieces on the
> sides and rear, and by several accessories including the sun visors, grab
> handles, courtesy lights, dome light and sunroof switch.
>
> TOOLS: Flathead screwdriver, phillips-head screwdriver, pliers, clean shop
> towel.
>
> Before you start, lay out a towel or something to put all of the parts on.
> There will be plenty of them. ;-) This will make reassembly easier. Also, I
> found it helpfull to lower the back of both front seats to allow a lot of
> room to move around in the car. I wore socks only so as not to damage the
> leather. Also, open all 4 doors now...you will need to be crawling in and
> out of all of them quite a bit.
>
> 1. Remove the sun visors. There is one screw each and you may have to
> rotate the brackets towards the front of the car to get them out. If you
> have lighted mirrors, you will notice that a wire comes out with the
> bracket. You will find a plug wrapped in foam tape...unplug the wires and
> remove the sun visors. This is a good time to give them a good cleaning
> with Simple Green. There might also be two clips that hold the other end of
> each sun visor. Remove the single screw from each of these and remove.
>
> 2. Remove the grab handles from above each door. There are two screws in
> each one that are uncovered by prying up the plastic covers over them.
>
> 3. Remove the courtesy lights from above the rear doors. They just pry out
> from the rear. Unplug them and set aside.
>
> 4. Remove the plastic piece that covers the sunroof motor (front center of
> the headliner) by prying lightly on the sides. It should pop off. Remove
> the dome light/sunroof switch assembly from the front center. There should
> be a release clip in the center of the right side. Just push in a flat head
> screwdriver to release. Unplug the domelight and sunroof switch from the
> harness. Set aside the light/switch assembly.
>
> 5. Now it gets fun...Remove the plastic covers from the inside of the door
> pillars. These are the pieces of plastic that the seatbelts come through.
> You can remove them by prying from the bottom and swinging out. You can
> then pull down to disengage the top. This is easier to do than to describe.
> Let both pillar covers dangle from the seatbelt. Be careful because there
> will be grease on their backsides.
>
> 6. By removing the pillar covers, you have revealed two screws on each side
> that hold on the plastic trim that supports the headliner. Remove all 4
> screws and set aside. Now, starting at the front, pull down the plastic
> trim pieces. Just wiggle them a bit and they should come off. There will be
> plastic clips that hold the pieces to the frame of the car. You will notice
> that about half come off with the plastic trim piece and half stay embedded
> in the metal frame of the car. Pull the stragglers out of the frame with
> pliers and be sure to slide them back into place on the plastic trim piece.
> Most of the clips are angled, so make sure you put them back facing the
> right direction. Repeat this process for both front and both rear plastic
> pieces. The rear two have the rear seatbelts passing through them, so you
> can simply lay them on the rear deck for now.
>
> 7. There is a final plastic piece to remove in the rear center. It pulls
> down the same way as the others. When you remove this last piece, the
> headliner will try to fall down in the rear. Be sure to support it so it
> doesn't crease. (This may not matter if you plan to throw it away. :-)
> Again, be sure to save the plastic clips and re-insert them into the
> plastic trim piece.
>
> 8. By this time, your headliner should be sagging down in the rear, held up
> only by the trim around the sunroof opening. You may choose to pull off the
> trim ring to release the headliner, but I found that it is possible to
> remove it without taking off the trim ring. Just start at the front an pull
> the headliner down by bending the trim ring out of the way.
>
> 9. If you have followed my instructions to this point, you should have a
> stiff fiberglass backed headliner in your lap. To get the headliner out of
> the car, open the right rear door and slide it out...it should just fit
> without bending.
>
> 10. While you have the headliner out, this might be a good time to grease
> up your sunroof assembly and/or check/repair/replace your FUBA antenna if
> necessary. No one wants to have to take down their headliner _again_.
>
> 11. Installation is the reverse of removal. Wash your hands first or at
> least towel them off! I found out the hard way that greasy fingerprints are
> difficult to get out of a headliner. You might have a freind help to hold
> up the new headliner while you are attaching all of the bits that hold it
> on. If you have opted not to remove the sunroof opening trim ring, use a
> blunt flat head screwdriver to help get the headliner back in place under
> the ring. Be sure to thread the wiring harness connectors for the courtesy
> lights, lighted visors, and dome light back through the proper holes in the
> headliner.
>
> 12. When putting back the trim pieces, remember to put the rear center one
> back first, then the rear left and right pieces, the front left and right
> pieces, and finally snap the pillar covers back into place. Replacing the
> pillar covers will require you to line up the seatbelt height adjustment
> slider properly. You  can tell if you did it wrong because you won't be
> able to move the seatbelt height adjuster up or down.
>
> 13. Replace the courtesy lights, handles, and sun visors. Remember to
> reconnect the wires to the lighted visors...you threaded the wires out
> through the headliner, right? Be sure to wrap the connectors back in the
> original foam tape so they don't rattle in the frame of the car spoiling
> your thumpin' car stereo experience. Also, reconnect the domelight/sunroof
> switch assembly and insert into the headliner. Finally, re-insert the
> plastic sunroof motor cover by sliding the tab on the rear in first and
> flexing the entire piece to engage the plastice clips on each side into the
> headliner. Your new headliner should  now be fully installed!
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Chuck Van Pelt
>
> >I recently found a cigarette burn (gasp) in my headliner courtesy of the
> >previous owner.  Is replacing the headliner with a new one too difficult for
> >a do-it-yourself-er?  Also, would it be extremely time consuming?
> >
> >Angie and Fernando aka Jetta GLX
> >
> ><< Takeing down the
> > headliner to get to it isnt to hard.  Best bet is to used the Bently Manual.
> >
> > It tells you how to swap it out.  >>