Login Register

850 sunroof headliner repair

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

This topic is in the MVS Volvo Repair Database » Volvo 850 Sunroof Headliner Repair
Post Reply
User avatar
pkc303
Posts: 600
Joined: 30 April 2009
Year and Model: 1995 T-5R Yellow
Location: Houston, Texas
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: 850 sunroof headliner repair

Post by pkc303 »

Thank you for an excellent repair.
1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Yellow
1997 Volvo 850R (sold)
2003 Volvo V70 2.4T, K&N air filter, (sold)
1996 Volvo 940 (sold)
1992 Volvo 740 Turbo (sold)
1990 Volvo 240 Wagon (sold)
1987 Volvo 240 Wagon (sold)
1982 Volvo DL (sold)

JimBee
Posts: 1915
Joined: 9 December 2008
Year and Model: 93 and 2 96 850's
Location: Minneapolis
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 42 times

Post by JimBee »

While you have the panel out, might as well clean it. I got a tip from a local detailing shop that worked well on my headliner. Lay it on a flat surface. Lightly mist on some cleaner that doesn't have dye that could leave a residue, but does have ammonia. I was concerned about uneven bleaching, he said not to worry and it wasn't a problem.

Use a medium bristle brush, once the fabric is misted and lightly brush it. You'll see it brighten up. Use a little more if still not coming clean, but do not saturate the fabric as that could dissolve the glue on the other side. My '93 850 headliner looked like new when finished. Took about an hour.

polskamafia mjl
Posts: 2640
Joined: 1 April 2009
Year and Model: 1995 Volvo 854 T-5R
Location: Hershey, PA
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 21 times

Post by polskamafia mjl »

Any body have issues with the sunroof not opening correctly after doing this?

I pulled the glass out so to replace the fabric on the sunroof shade and once I re-installed everything I noticed that the sunroof will tilt open but will not slide back into the full open position. When the glass is closed all the way I can hear air getting in so it appears the glass isn't seating correctly either.

Any advice?
'All my money is gone and I have an old Volvo.' - Bamse's Turbo Underpants

Current: 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Manual - Bringing it back from the brink of death
Previous: 1996 Volvo 850 GLT - Totaled

Ozark Lee
MVS Moderator
Posts: 14798
Joined: 7 September 2006
Year and Model: Many Volvos
Location: USA Midwest
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 75 times

Post by Ozark Lee »

Did the clips (picture 4) snap back into the grooved track?

...Lee
'94 850 N/A 5 speed
'96 Platinum Edition Turbo
Previous:
1999 V70XC - Nautic Blue - Totaled while parked.
1999 V70XC - RIP - Wrecked Parts Car.
1998 S70 T5
1996 850 N/A
1989 740 GLT
1986 740 GLT
1972 142 Grand Luxe

polskamafia mjl
Posts: 2640
Joined: 1 April 2009
Year and Model: 1995 Volvo 854 T-5R
Location: Hershey, PA
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 21 times

Post by polskamafia mjl »

I'm almost certain that the sun shade clips are snapped in correctly.

However, now that I think about it, in the first step where we remove the black plastic trim by bowing it out, I had both the top and bottom parts come out together and I never reattached the top half.

Is it possible to accidentally over tighten the T25 screws or to not have the glass aligned correctly on the track?

EDIT: I took the glass back off to take a look at everything again. I'm wondering if I have the glass inserted incorrectly into the bracket that supports it.

If anyone could get me a high res version of picture # 3 from Lee's write-up I would really appreciate it. I just need to verify how the 3 contact points on each side of the glass slide into the bracket.

EDIT 2: Success! Sort of. I fiddled with the glass some more. I removed the black plastic trim completely and loosened the 4 T25 screws. The glass will now retract completely into the roof but it struggles to go into the vent (tilted) position. Furthermore, the glass seems reluctant to return to the full closed position. It looks like it either sits too high up out of the roof or too low. This might just be my perception leading me astray so if anyone could snap a picture of the top of their sun roof in the full closed position I would appreciate it. I'd like to see how flush the glass is supposed to be with the rest of the roof.
'All my money is gone and I have an old Volvo.' - Bamse's Turbo Underpants

Current: 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Manual - Bringing it back from the brink of death
Previous: 1996 Volvo 850 GLT - Totaled

User avatar
lext
Posts: 68
Joined: 25 January 2005
Year and Model: 1994 854
Location: Northern California
Has thanked: 1 time

Post by lext »

I ran into an odd problem while putting things back, and I wonder if anyone has seen the same.
So after I glue the cloth back to the plastic shade, I had no problem putting it back on with the 4 clips. But then it wouldn't slide in (or backward, towards open position). When I check, it looks like on each side of the rails, nearest to the front of the car, there is something that looks like a stopper. The stopper has a depressed length of about 4-5 inches, and then a ridge. So the shade could only move in the 4-5 inches allowed by the stopper, and not any further.
The stopper looks like it's been there forever (it's made of metal, I think). And yet I know the shade could move all the way before. So I'm confused why it pops up now, and how it was supposed to be before.
Without being able to slide back the shade, I can't even put the sunroof back (because I wouldn't have access to the Torx screws). It's just so odd, this stopper thing.
94 850 non-turbo
2011 S40 T5

User avatar
lext
Posts: 68
Joined: 25 January 2005
Year and Model: 1994 854
Location: Northern California
Has thanked: 1 time

Post by lext »

Update: I know what it is now. The stopper is actually there to push back the shade a little bit when you open the sunroof (to the slanting up position). The stopper has 2 positions corresponding to "closed" and "slanting up" positions of the sunroof. In order to put the shade back in, the sunroof will need to be in "closed" position, so that the stopper can go all the way forward enough to slide the shade in properly.

I guess I may not explain it well enough, but if you run into the same problem I got, just remember that in order to take out/put back in the shade, the sunroof will need to be in *closed* position. Remember that and you'll be fine.
94 850 non-turbo
2011 S40 T5

mistahsinclair
Posts: 3
Joined: 8 January 2017
Year and Model: 1963 P1800
Location: Washington State

Post by mistahsinclair »

I have a totally random question on the original post: What year/trim is the car in the photos?

I have an F150 that has an aftermarket sunroof installed, done by a previous owner, where the roof has come from a late 90s Volvo. The roof glass broke and I'm trying to track down a replacement. The part numbers of the trim pieces indicate it could be an 850, C70 or V70 but the attachment points of the roof frame vary year to year and model to model.

The long and short is...the car in the photos matches the attachment points I have on the frame.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

User avatar
Clemens
Posts: 1932
Joined: 3 September 2015
Year and Model: 96 855 R + 94 855 T5
Location: Austria
Has thanked: 473 times
Been thanked: 219 times

Post by Clemens »

Should be a 94-97 850 turbo.
Summer: 1996 855 R
Winter: 1994 855 T5M
Donor: 1995 854 10V

mistahsinclair
Posts: 3
Joined: 8 January 2017
Year and Model: 1963 P1800
Location: Washington State

Post by mistahsinclair »

Thanks.

I see the original poster has a 96 Platinum Edition Turbo...is that the car? There are many sunroof parts on bay that are listed as fitting, but the mounting points in the photos are different.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post