p1701

I just noticed today that the fabric liner of the top above the rear passenger seats is sagging, separated from the top. Has anyone had this problem and how and where did you have it fixed? Thank you for your suggestions.

raymond g-

check STICKY # 6 and you should see link to epic headliner repair by Yacht Master

Plutoe

Although there are loads of "helpful Harry's" around that make very difficult upholstery\headliner removal\install jobs look so easy---in the real world they are not.(this assumes you don't have all winter to accomplish the job correctly)

I would advise a second look at the job by calling folks that make their living removing refurbishment and install of MB repeat MB headliners.

FYI In central Florida that job can be done for USD 350!!

raymond g-

yacht master's alcantera headliner project.

I agree with Plutoe. headliner R&R is not for faint of heart or anyone who likes
to speed through a job. This requires finesse, patience and attention to detail.
So you either will tackle this as a growth opportunity and to get the satisfaction
of doing it yourself, or you pay the pro to do this properly

EdzBenz

Guys,
I have the same problem going on. I'm not interested in removing the headliner.
What kind of backing is behind the fabric that is sagging?
I'm wondering if I can get a spray needle to poke through a few discreet areas of the headliner and use an aerosol glue. Slowing spray and work my way to one corner hopefully minimizing any "bunching" effect.

R2dMax

And the question is "who HAS NOT had this issue?"

You generally can't "repair" a sagging headliner by re-gluing it. Even if it does stick it will be very temporary and the weight of the extra glue may actually stretch the headliner more when it falls again. A reputable shop will probably charge between $200-500 to fix depending on material used.

suicidal4life

Me. For now. Who knows how much longer. Probably just jinxed myself.

p1701

I wonder if someone has tried fixing the headliner sag by cutting a small slit then spray high temperature adhesive such as 3M through the slit and was successful - the headliner stayed on with no wrinkles.

vinceC

That will not work. The reason the headliners sag is not because the glue fails. It is because the foam backing for the headliner material fails. It decomposes into a gooey mess and the fabric comes loose and falls. You have to get all that gooey mess off the board and the material for glue to work.

raymond g-

so true, vinceC. look at post 77 within the link i posted above and you'll see the pics. the
foam will just absorb any adhesive like a sponge and render the effort almost useless

bbirdwell

Quick and dirty fix: short (~1/8" staples). I owned my '99 for several months before I realized the headliner over the backseat was held up by 15 or so staples.

I replaced the headliner and the A/B/C pillar coverings because I attempted to spray adhesive between the headliner and backer; bad idea.

Cost me several hundred dollars doing the removal and installation myself (fabric installed on headliner and posts at an upholstery shop). If you have a sunroof, just acknowledge defeat now and order new plastic pieces in the sunshade; by now they are brittle and break upon attempt to remove. Front seat has to come out, mirror takes a lot(!) of pressure to pull loose, getting the clips out of the B-pillar was interesting...

Unless you are handy with tools and have a large reservoir of patience, take it to a professional.

Either way, if you have a sunroof, pre-order the plastic pieces and deliver them to the upholstery shop when you take the car in.
The first three part numbers have an optional 4-character color code keyed to your VIN. I deleted the color code for this post.

211-784-06-44, two each, rear cover (the vents in the sunshade)
210-784-04-81, one each, handle, upper
210-784-05-81, one each, handle, lower
210-784-01-44, one each, ornamental cover (the black plastic piece across the front of the sunroof. Mine shattered due to UV degradation while trying to remove. This part must be removed to enable removal of the sunshade.)
Approximately $90 for the above parts.