1993 850 headliner removal and repair

fredstock99 · Post by **fredstock99** » 30 Sep 2008, 22:38

Car: 1993 850 GLT 4Dr. No Sunroof.
Miles: 204,000 and running strong.
Location: Queens, NY
Problem: My headliner has been sagging for a few months. I tried an entire can of headliner glue. The problem is the foam is just to old and brittle and pulls off with the fabric. Being a graduate student, the cheapest solution is the right solution for me, so I even tried various staples. All work for a short period of time, say enough to drive a girl to dinner. So once and for all, I plan to replace my headliner since its to the point where it blocks 50% of my rear window. I have not found a whole lot on this topic online, probably since is cosmetic. So I thought I'd put up my plan, to get some feedback from wiser people than I.

First: remove the headliner... from what I have read, this involves removing some trim, the grab bars, the front visors, the dome lights and possibly the rear view mirror. I also read a suggestion to take out the front seats for space, however I do not plan on doing that. I am not sure how the headliner is held in place in the center, or if it is just the outer trim that holds it up. Anyone know? I am hoping to gently pry it free, and then carefully bend it so it will fit out the passengers side door.

Second: once free, I am hoping to brush off as much of the old foam as possible. instead of buying a kit, I was going to try to simply use some cheap fabric (say some $20 curtain material from ikea), and not only gluing it in place, but actually tacking it in place with some upholstery type buttons or something, passed all the way through the compressed cardboard backing. a few strategically placed large buttons, and maybe some randomly strewn about thread, and I am hoping to never have to deal with the headliner again.

Third: bend it back into the car. duct tape anything i broke, getting it back into the car. connect it however it was connected before. and be on my merry way.

Obviously, i am a poor grad student, whose time is worth nothing. And I am prepared to drive around without a headliner for a while while I figure out what I am doing. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. I will take pictures for the amusement of all as i start this on Saturday.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 01 Oct 2008, 07:15

I think I would try to get it out from the trunk after dropping the rear seats down.

...Lee

Post by **tailor** » 01 Oct 2008, 07:40

I would go to a u-pick yard, it should be very inexpensive, and get another lining there, you will also get a better idea of how to remove it before you start on your vehicle.
It will be a moot point if there are no Volvos and or only Volvos with a moon(sun) roof.

I think I would try to get it out from the trunk after dropping the rear seats down.

2nd that!

You could try Standard Auto Wreckers.......Hmm,... Queens and Niagra, not even close...but it is a start. Road trip anyone?
http://www.standardautowreckers.com/

mbsl98 · Post by **mbsl98** » 02 Oct 2008, 13:37

When you go looking for a new used headliner, remember that they should all be the same through the 2000 model year. I think the color changed along the way, but otherwise, I think it is an exact match since none of the related body parts from windshield back changed. Obviously, the newer the better for long term prospects.

Post by **Maxbaby** » 02 Oct 2008, 16:32

I just dropped a headliner out of a wrecked 850 last week. I hate to say it but I don't think you'll get it out through the trunk... not wide enough in the pass through with both seats down. I suppose with two other people, you could try gently curving it down the middle (one person holding it low while two on the outside hold it high) and try to pass it that way...

I was after the entire sunroof assembly... I got it too... and so I frankly folded the headliner along the rearmost edge of the sunroof opening. This allowed me to drop it down so that it went down toward the rear footwell area, and slide out the side door.

Now... I haven't attacked my own car to install this yet (it is one heavy mother of a unit by the way), but I plan on folding it the same way as well. Then I'll unfold it for reassembly. The worst case scenario is that I'll have two crease lines on either side of the sunroof opening, not overly noticeable.

But... once unfolded, chances are that steaming the bejesus out of the creases, with a kettle or one of those new-style hand-held steam spray cleaner do-hickeys they sell for 2 easy payments of $19.95 (but that's not all... if you call now... yada yada) will reduce or more likely eliminate that crease in the material itself.

In any event, to remove all the trim, grab handles, sun visors (I'm sure there's a plug somewhere for their wiring but I had the luxury of just snipping that wire... be aware it's there to be dealt with) overhead console, rear entry overhead lights and the trim around the sunroof opening took about 45 minutes at most. If I had dug a little harder I'm sure I might have found a connector for the sunvisor lights somewhere behind the front pillar covers (didn't actually have to remove those two pieces to get the other trim out of the way...

So Fredstock, if you're in Edmonton, I know where there's a good headliner just sitting there...

Post by **Maxbaby** » 03 Oct 2008, 13:10

I've been thinking about this more since I've got to do this project anyway. The damn thing had to get in there somehow when they assembled the car. It's always possible that it went in through the front or rear window prior to its installation, but that would be a bit more than a do-it-yourself project to remove the glass.

I replayed the removal of that headliner again in my mind. Frankly, the easiest way to get it out without damaging it, is to remove the seats. Not just the front seats but the rear lower cushion as well. The center console must also come out.

The seats in the front are easy... 4 anchor bolts and 1 seatbelt mount bolt... 5 minutes each (If you have the side airbags, disconnect the battery a half hour before trying, and connect that safety plug underneath the side trim panel as well). The rear cushion just pulls up and out... 1minute. The center console... 15 to 20 minutes. For a half hour and some weightlifting, that's going to be my plan.

That should allow me to tilt one side down to the floor while keeping the other side elevated high. Then swing it out at the back end through the rear door. I might have to remove the seat back and side bolster on one side, but can figure that out at the moment... another 5 minutes and a couple torx bolts... 2 person job for convenience only, and making room inside makes it easier to work anyway. I'd spend more time trying to steam the creases out of the materials than that half hour.

Post by **tailor** » 04 Oct 2008, 12:51

Maxbaby , and Fredstock99

I have just returned form the U-pull yard and with a slew of stuff and a full sunroof.
The vehicle that I was working on was a sedan.
The front seats had already been taken out,as well as the left rear door, the liner was in a shi%y state and could not be saved any way.
My point is this, clearly the way to go is to have the seats out or recline them fully. If you are brave enough and want to remove the door, this might be a good option as well.
For those of you who are not with me, re: the door removal , this is due to the fact the doors only open say 65 degrees ,unlike some twin cab trucks that open 90 degrees or more. A caveat here, the doors are heavy and you will need help if you are going to remove one or more. You will need to rig up a door jack or stand to help take the weight of the door. I believe that you will be able to remove the liner through the door opening by working it through diagonally and a gentle folding like like a "wrap".
I worked the sun roof through the left rear door, it was not that heavy.

It would make sense that the liner goes in before the seats and door anyway or maybe as you suggest,Maxbaby, through the front screen opening before it is placed. In any event I think this thread has been successfully hijacked and I now want to return it ... unhurt!

fredstock99 · Post by **fredstock99** » 04 Oct 2008, 13:00

Okay... so first off, thanks for the advice. I started this morning about 10am. Took down the dome lights, grab bars, headliner clips, rear view mirror, etc. All went well, until the sun visors, when I could not find a clip connection for the wiring. So after looking at it for 20 mins, and checking online, I decided if there is a wiring harness, its under the dashboard somewhere, and i didn't feel like taking that out again, so i just cut the wires.
After that, and the trim movement, I decided to just try and get the headboard out, without doing anything else... and Success!.

Perhaps because I have the sedan, not the wagon, the headliner came out easily, without much bending at all, one person, no seat removal. I just dropped the front side down onto the dash, slid it forward to get it off the rear trim. then reclined both front seats, opened the passenger front door, and the rear drivers side door, and rotated it so the corner was sticking out the back. then another rotation and it slid easily out the front passenger side door.

Since i wanted to get it out before purchasing any fabric or anything, i just put all the trim pieces, grab bars, mirror, and lights back where they belong and will drive it like that until i fix the attach new fabric and reinstall it. I will put up pictures of everything after its all done.
but step one: removal, single person job, done in less than 2 hours. (remember i am talking about the 850 4Dr sedan, not wagon, i assume the wagon has a much larger headliner).

digimonatx · Post by **digimonatx** » 26 Feb 2009, 11:25

Hi,
Well, I just removed the headliner from my 1996 850 GLT w/sunroof. I think this procedure applies to 1992 and later 850's - the Volvo manual says that when both front seat backrests are folded backwards, you should be able to slip it out the passenger side front door. I wasn't able to fold the backrests backwards (this is a motor-driven function, right? my backrest control seems to be broken), so I removed both seats. Once removed, the headliner slipped out the passenger side front door easily. My plan is to take it in and have somebody put new material on it, then re-install it myself. The moulding around the sunroof opening was tricky - didn't know how to get it off, and ended up breaking it into 3 or 4 pieces - the old plastic was very brittle. $60 for a new one at the Volvo dealer.

One other note - I took the headliner in to an auto upholstery shop and they quoted $80-$100 to put new cloth on it.
- john s.