'05 xc90 replacement headliner

[jcooks]

We need to replace our headliner, the sunroof piece too. Anyone ever done it on this model? Difficult? Any tips?

[OEMVolvoParts]

The job is difficult. It is very easy to damage the headliner when you are installing it. More than a one person job for sure, the headliner is huge.

[JimBee]

Last month I had my '93 850 headliner out to replace the sunroof. I had a detail shop tech remove my interior trim along posts and headliner. I think I could do that now but wrecked a couple of pieces at the junkyard trying to get 'em off. They don't pop off. They slide and lock. There a little cylinders of plastic that slip into receiver clips that are mounted in the sheet metal along the roof line and down the posts. Use some sticky gloves and slide them. This plastic is brittle, so bending it too much will crack and break it. The rectangular trim around the sunroof is tricky. Mine was already broken in one place when I bought the car, so it was easier to remove (the tech left that one for me). You need strong fingers (Volvo probably has a tool). There's a catch along each side of the trim, about in the middle if I remember right, that locks onto the sheet metal. You have to kind of lift and roll the trim top towards the center (towards you) to dislodge it.
That's the hardest part.

Then take off your hand grips, light sockets, rear and side vent ports, etc. The only thing that's really messy is you'll need to cut the wires on your visor lights to remove the visors—no way around it. On the '93, the wires look like they plug into the visor but that plug must be glued in. I tried to dig it out with a pick and gave up. NOTE: if you do not reconnect them you might have a door chime problem and lose your interior lights. I did. Leaving the overhead center interior light switch in the off position quits the door chime. Some day I will solder the wires back together.

The good news about the headliner is its backing is made from some sort of poly sheeting with long strand fiberglas that is VACUUM FORMED to fit the roof contours. At first I thought it was neoprene, but whatever it is, you are allowed to bend it without breaking (at least on mine). It will come out through your trunk, but you'll have to roll the edges a bit. Fear not, it won't break if Volvo didn't change it.

A local NAPA clerk told me about Windex to clean the headliner. "Anything with ammonia", he said would work. He warned me not to do it with the headliner removed. I did anyway, since I had it out when he told me. I bought a Walmart store brand of window cleaner, laid the headliner up on a sawhorse table and with a stiff brush LIGHTLY misted and gently bristled the whole liner. It looks great. Don't get it too wet. Light mist only.

Do be careful around the edges. The glue that holds the fabric does dry out and granulate, so the fabric may lift along the edges. Mind did a little around the sunroof opening and the corners, but not badly. For the most part, you can hold it in place when you reassemble it. I used strips of duct tape to tack out the granulated glue to get the surface clean, then some double sided carpet tape to keep it in place while I reassembled. It doesn't take much to hold it.

I have some pics I've been meaning to post if you neeed more help.
Plan on a 4 or 5 hours. If you plan to reconnect the visor light wires (recommended) you might want to cut them near the visor mount so they be rethreaded through the headliner openings. If you find a better way to reconnect them let me know!
JB