# How-To Replace Headliner



## JoeKan (Mar 10, 2019)

This post is for anyone that needs to replace their headliner. The fabric of the headliners in the TT tend to droop as Audi used water soluable glue to hold it to the foam backing In humid environments. On the other hand, it may be the foam rotting that causes the separation. Either way, the glue gives way and the fabric separates from the foam.

The best way to handle this is to take out the headliner, have the the fabric replaced at a quality shop that will use glue that is not water soluable and then re-install. The worst part of this job is to remove the trim pieces around the headliner as the plastic trim pieces can be brittle. The plastic pillar trim is held on by metal spring clips. These clips slide into plastic holders on the inside of the trim. If you try to rip the the trim off (pull off - even slowly and gently), the plastic may break off and the spring clip will stay in the body and there will be no way to re-mount the spring clip back in the trim (as the mounting point has broken off). The ideal way to remove the spring clips is to have about a foot long bar that is split like a 2 prong fork and slide that around the clip to un-clip it from the body.









Below is a pix of the spring clip from a side panel. Same spring clip but the attachment to the pillar trim is moulded into the trim.









The below process is the one I followed:

























A-Pillar Trim









A Pillar Sound Absorber
This is extremely brittle - Mine broke by accident & I used Silicone to glue it back together. It'll probably break on you as you try to remove the plugs holding it on.









Centre C-Pillar trim
No pix - ETKA had the wrong one shown. You have to remove the centre piece but I didn't remove the C-Pillar side trim to the back of the car - just the 2 spring clips from either end so I could bend it to extract the headliner. You may want to remove the trim down the sides to the back of the car as well. Either way - you have to remove the rubber foam weatherseal.

















Once you have the headliner out, be mindful of the 2 foam fingers to the back of the headliner - these can snap off quite easily. The Duct tape applied from the factory to the sides is to protect the headliner during install. I didn't bother as my installer wrapped the headliner right around the edges, making it a snugger fit.









Be careful removing the light bezel from the overhead light - the plastic tab (acts like a spring) is very tight and it may cause the bezel to spring out forcefully, breaking the plastic mounting tab(s) that hold it in place. Mine broke but I was able to glue it back together - after 2 tries. Replacement is about CAD$100. Might be cheaper for a VW Golf part - same light bezel.

The sun visor tabs the sun visor snaps into are a real 'pain' to remove - they are very tight - take your time and in my case, it helped to walk away for a while.

Once you get the headliner out, the fabric will peal right off leaving rotted foam and glue. I suggest you use a plastic bristle brush and a rag soaked in hot water to remove the glue which bonds the foam to the headliner.

I had an automotive upholstery shop apply new headliner fabric as they used proper non-soluable glue and had experience doing it. I could do it, but I suspect that it would look like I did do it.

Hope the above helps. Take your time doing it - it is an easy job but takes patience to do it without causing too much damage.


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## torqueit (Jan 22, 2019)

Really great write-up. Very helpful!


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## Converted2VW (Feb 13, 2011)

Best how to so far, no need to reinvent the wheel so I’ll add a couple of comments here.

As stated by Bentley instructions, the easiest way to start removing the trim parts is through the c-pillar. Start where it overlaps with a-pillar. Pull down and look in to see the metal clip and use that tool to unclip it (you’ll need the tool. Remove the first 3 clips on the c-pillar.

Then move on to the a-pillar and start uncliping it from the back forward. You can see the clips if you look closely with a good light in your forehead. Access is sketchy, patience is key. Remove the 6 clips carefully…the last 3 clips (on pillar itself) are easier to access from the door frame side vs the windshield side. 

Remove the visors, lights and visor clips and then unclip the 3x metal clips through the dome light hole. Careful not to break the plastic frame. Then you are off to the races…


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