How-to: Removing & Reinstalling the Headliner [Headlining]

[Alan_uk]

How-to: Removing & Reinstalling the Headliner [Headlining]

This how-to describes how I removed and reinstalled my headlining. It includes part removal of some of the boot trims. It covers the removal of the fabric and glue but not recovering.

The headlining tends to fall down when the A2 is about 20 years old but can be earlier after very hot summers. The fabric comes away from its foam backing. It’s the foam backing that has been glued to the headliner biscuit by the OEM. To complicate matters, there is an outer and inner panel and the two fabrics meet in a deep groove.

No doubt in the factory they were covered as two pieces and then glued together with what looks like hot stick glue. The outer panel uses a thinner foam and seems more susceptible. Attempting to glue the fabric back is likely to lead to staining. The sun visors can aslo be affected and there is a A2OC posting showing how one owner recovered his visors.

Limited tools are required: Torx screwdriver, T20 & T25 bits, 8mm size socket and ideally plastic trim removal levers though these are not always successful. Skill level is basic. From memory, as a first timer doing this, allow about 4 hours to remove and about the same to replace, and a day to clean off all the foam and glue. As usual, follow this at your own risk.

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 1 Sun visors

It might be useful to cover the seats with an old sheet so that if a screw is dropped it doesn’t disappear between the seats and the central console. I stored all the fitments and screws in separate small polythene grip seal bags.

Pull the sun visor to one side to expose the locating clip. Photo 1 shows removal of the plastic covering over the clip. I tried the red plastic trim removal lever but it was too soft and bent at the tip. In the end I resorted to a thin small screwdriver that made marks in the plastic cover. However, this cover is normally covered by the sun visor. Once removed then remove the 2 exposed T20 Torx screws (photo 2).

At the hinged end of the sun visor there is a small plastic cap (photo 3). Insert a small screwdriver and leverage out. Remove the exposed T20? Torx screw. The hinge then can be levered out – it has a sort of claw (photo 4). Remove the plug by pulling it out – the lead is short. Note that the metal silver side of the plug is facing outwards. Anyway, I’m sure this plug is keyed. Repeat the other side.

photo 1 photo 2 photo 3 photo 4

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 2 Vanity lights

The vanity lights are removed by leveraging them out at the right hand end (photo 5). I was unable to pull off the plug (photo 6). However, I found that the light fitting easily passes through the hole in the headlining. Repeat the other side.

Once the headlining was out I wrapped each light in bubble wrap and jammed them up in the little “shelf” in the roof.

Step 3 Ultrasonic alarm

This just levers out (photo 7). Pull out the plug (photo 8). These plugs are keyed to ensure correct insertion but it needs a close look to see the protrusions.

photo 5 photo 6 photo 7 photo 8

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 4 Light panel

This just levers out (photo 9). Pull out the plug (photo 10 top centre). This plug is again keyed and is larger than the ultrasonic alarm plug. The lower side that was levered out has 2 sprung clips.

When the panel is removed you will see 2 Torx screws that hold brackets on the headlining to the roof. Remove these screws.

Step 5 Flap above mirror

Bend down and remove the Torx screw (photo 11). Once removed notice the plastic pin that locates into a hole to one side of the screw hole.

Step 6 Grab handles

The ends of the grab handles have a cover that can be levered up with the fingers (photo 12). Then remove the 2 long Torx bolts in each handle. Repeat on all grab handles.

photo 9 photo 10 photo 11 photo 12

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 7 Rear interior light

Lever out the rear interior lights on the switch side (photo 13). The side that was levered out has 2 sprung clips (photo 14). Pull out the plug. Note I had incorrectly removed the lens first. Maybe time for some LED bulbs.

Step 8 Pull back A pillar trim

Pull away the door seal at the top of the A pillar and then pull back the A pillar trim at the top (photo 15). It needs some force to pull out the clips behind. Hopefully the clip plastic mounting does not break as removing the whole A pillar trim looks difficult as the other end is jammed behind the dash. Repeat the other side.

Step 9 Remove the door seals

Pull away the door seals at the top to release the headlining. I found there was no need to remove the B pillar trim. I simply pushed the headlining up and over.

photo 13 photo 14 photo 15

 

[Alan_uk]

The following is how the final steps should have been done based on reassembly, not how I did it and broke the headlining rear bracket!

Step 10 Loosen upper C pillar trim

First the rear seats need to have their headrests removed and then rotated into the footwell (or removed). To loosen the upper C pillar trim (photo 16) the lower C pillar trim needs to be loosened.

Pull away the lower C pillar trim (photo 17). It is held by 2 pop clips towards the bottom (where the hand is) and some Velcro further up.

Pull away the door seal – it has a metal clip that stays on the seal. Then pull away the lower C pillar trim at the top (photo 18 is the nearside and the hand is pulling it away. Photo 19 is offside). Note it has a small protrusion that goes into the upper C pillar trim that is easily bent/broken.

photo 16 photo 17 photo 18 photo 19

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 10 continued

Now the boot side panel by the door can be pulled away. It needs some force. Hopefully the plastic base of the clips do not break. This exposes the bottom of the upper C pillar trim (photo 20 also show the clip and it’s at position A in photo 23). It should now be possible to wiggle the upper C pillar trim to release the headlining (photo 16 above). I was unable to remove the upper C pillar trim as I could not release the clip at the very top (photo 21).

Step 11 Loosen boot trim in boot

Remove boot load cover and then the 2 x T25 Torx screws hidden by the ends of the cover (photo 22).

Pull away the door seal round the boot door. Next remove the boot rear trim panel. This has 3 torx screws hidden by 3 caps (no photo). The corners are tucked under the trim at position C on photo 23. You can now use a finger to push up the trim clip (photo 24A) at position C on photo 23.

It seems this clip invariably breaks – mine did because I didn't push it up as I felt it could stay in position. I read the trick is to insert a screwdriver and push the white plastic base of the clip up to release it from the metal clip but when I put a new clip back I discovered I could push up with my finger. Photo 24B show the broken plastic clip with the metal part still in the body. I used long-nose pliers to lever it out.

Editted 14 Nov 22 to add photo 24A and associated text plus to remove rear boot trim.

photo 20 photo 21 photo 22
photo 23 photo 24A photo 24B

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 11 continued

Now pull hard at point B on photo 23 (above post) to pull away the trim. This pulls out the clip at that position (photo 25).

The boot side trim should now look like photo 26 except that the D pillar trim is still in position. This trim is held by 2 clips and a lug. Photo 27 shows the rear. Pull it away at the bottom. The metal clips at the mounting points circled remained in the body and were removed using long-nose pliers. Luckily the mounting points did not break.

Step 12 Remove the headlining end bolts

There are 2 bolts (8mm), one each side, holding the ends of the headlining. Remove these (photo 29).

There is also a clip at the back of the headlining in the centre. This easily pulls away when the headlining is pulled down at the rear centre.

Photo 25 Photo 26 Photo 27 Photo 29

No photo 28

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 13 Extract the headlining

The headlining should now be free to be extracted. First remove the headrests from the front seats and lower the seats as far back as possible. The headlining needs to be extracted at an angle (photo 30). Even then it needs a little bending in the corners. Afterward I glued and sealed some thick card to strengthen these corners.

Photo 31 shows the rear of the headlining. Note the 3 foam pads and the black clip at the back centre. Remove the metal surround where the vanity lights are (photo 32). This is done by folding up the metal tabs with a small screwdriver.

photo 30 photo 31 photo 32

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 14 Removing the glue on the headlining

The headlining fabric is backed by foam and this is then glue to the headlining biscuit. The biscuit centre panel seems to be made of glass fibre but the outer panel is perhaps fibre board and less robust.

The inner panel fabric had thick foam backing and I found most of the foam came away with the material. The outer fabric had thin foam backing and I found most of the foam remained on the biscuit. Pull off the fabric (photo 33).

To remove the glue I used kitchen surface cleaner (spay bottle) to soften the glue. The outer panel turn to mush and was easily scrapped up with a small plastic de-icer scraper. The inner panel was more harder to remove.

The hardest part was removing glue from the groove. I used a small screwdriver and old toothbrush and the spray cleaner (photo 34) taking care to not puncher the headlining. All the cleaning was done over a ground sheet big enough to fold over at night. The foam/glue breaks into small pieces and is a pain to clean up to stop it getting everywhere. Use a vacuum if the other half is not watching. I used methylated spirits to clean tools etc.

Once the glue was all removed the whole panel was rubbed down with a cloth and Isopropanol 99.9% pure alcohol (IPA). This must be done outside as IPA is highly inflammable. I used a carbon face mask / respirator with A1P2R filters as the fumes are dangerous to health. Cleaned biscuit photo 35.

photo 33 photo 34 photo 35

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 15 Recovering

Recovering involves using a spray impact adhesive – i.e. there is just one chance to get it right. At the corners the cloth looks like it is stretched. Getting one sheet of material into the groove looks tricky but getting the second in without getting glue on the first seems hard. I found (with difficulty) a company to do it.

The inner and outer panel fabrics seem to have a slightly different shade of grey but I think it is more due to one having more black spots than the other.

I offered to fill the groove so that a single sheet of material could be used but the company said they could do it. In the end the edges of the materials in the groove was not perfect, and after discusion it was agree to fill the groove with grey pipping. In the end I think it looks quite good with the piping.

The company used a thicker foam backing on the outer panel and had wrapped it round the edges whereas the Audi OEM was only wrapped around the front & back edges and the rear corners side edges. This made is slightly difficult to install.

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 16 Insulating the roof

I took the opportunity to cover the inside of the roof with soundproofing and to install the cables for front and rear cameras. I used about 2.5 sqm ”Insulation Sound Deadening Heat Proofing Thermal Material Block 197mil”. It comes in 10 sheets of 40x25cm x 5mm thick per 1 sqm pack.

Not all of the insulation was removed: the paper backing was scored with a knife (photo 36) and the Audi wiring hardness was used to keep it in place (photo 37). Note that the roof is not square so some soundproofing sheets were cut to fit (photo 38). Completed roof photo 39.

I had some pipe foam insulation left from a plumbing job and used sections cut longways to fill the gaps at the rear corners (photo 40).

I took the opportunity to fit front and rear cameras. The cable for the rear camera was very long and I tried to hide it curled up inside the D trim. This was awkward to do and in the end I hid it between the headlining and the roof, but see next paragraph. Another time I would loop it back along the side of the roof next to the wiring harness. I made a bracket for the rear camera as explained in another forum post (photo 41).

On refitting the headlining it did not cause any real problem except the clip at the rear of the headlining would not keep engaged, either due to the insulation or the camera cable or both.

It might be possible to remove the clip from the headlining and remount with thicker 3M adhesive pads or have a wider margin of no insulation. Removing the clip may not be possible given the fragility of the headlining outer panel. I ended up using strips of strong Velcro along the edge of the roof – luckily there was a margin with no insulation.

photo 36 photo 37 photo 38 photo 39

photo 40 photo 41

 

[Alan_uk]

Step 17 Reinstalling

This is basically a reversal of the removal.

Points to note:

1. As my headlining foam on the outer panel was thicker than the OEM, I did not reinstate the vanity lights metal surround.

2. The parts diagrams show a metal clip on the body that the lug on the top edge of the D trim should engage with, but my A2 did not have this. Rather the lug on the D trim goes into a plastic bracket at the end corners of the headlining (photo 42) before the 2 clips on the D trim are engaged.

3. The spike on the boot side trim goes into the round hole (photo 43)

4. When pushing back the boot side trim below the C pillar ensure the trim goes under the C pillar upper trim. It can try to go above and mark the bottom of the C pillar upper trim (photo 44)

5. I partly screwed in all the door grab handles and sun visor fittings just a few turns to ensure the headlining was correctly positioned. I then went round and fully drove them home.

6. The T25 Torx screws hidden at the ends of the boot luggage cover are threaded but can be mistakenly used to hold the sun visor fittings. Well that’s were I think mine were misplaced!

photo 42 photo 43 photo 44

 

[Alan_uk]

End Result

Some photos of the finished project.

 

[CrispyEdd]

Thats a brilliant write up thanks Alan! Great photos and advice throughout. I never thought about that groove, I guess theres a method to discover around how to not fit piping. maybe someone knows the trick?

 

[kiklop123]

Another great how-to guide from Alan_uk. Thank you mate! You did a great job.

 

[Alan_uk]

Thats a brilliant write up thanks Alan! Great photos and advice throughout. I never thought about that groove, I guess theres a method to discover around how to not fit piping. maybe someone knows the trick?

I was shown the piping - something I've not ever thought about. The foundation is a flexible plastic solid tube with a fin or web. A google image search of "Auto Pro Welt Cord Piping Vinyl" will show an example. This is different (it seems) from upholstery cord which is round.

When I first reviewed the recovering they only had the piping in black and white. We tried a piece and it looked good. It sat quite deep into the groove. But I said only if they could get grey. They couldn't get grey so they took the white or black and covered it with headlining material strips, presumably glued with the normal impact spray adhesive. This makes the piping more bulkier and it sits more proud in the grove but still looks OK, in fact I think more of a feature.

 

[Charles]

I was shown the piping - something I've not ever thought about. The foundation is a flexible plastic solid tube with a fin or web. A google image search of "Auto Pro Welt Cord Piping Vinyl" will show an example. This is different (it seems) from upholstery cord which is round.

When I first reviewed the recovering they only had the piping in black and white. We tried a piece and it looked good. It sat quite deep into the groove. But I said only if they could get grey. They couldn't get grey so they took the white or black and covered it with headlining material strips, presumably glued with the normal impact spray adhesive. This makes the piping more bulkier and it sits more proud in the grove but still looks OK, in fact I think more of a feature.

Hi Alan
Great write up, do you know if it's possible to remove the central peice as mine is mint it's just the edge part?

Cheers Charles

 

[Alan_uk]

Hi Alan
Great write up, do you know if it's possible to remove the central peice as mine is mint it's just the edge part?

Cheers Charles

Hi Charles. I presume you mean

if it's possible to remove the OUTER peice as my CENTRE PIECE is mint, it's just the edge part THAT HAS COME OFF?"

You could remove (pull off) the lining on the outer panel. It will pull off separately to the inner panel lining and comes off quite easily.

The snagged is it will leave behind the glue and the foam backing and this will have to be scrapped off which is messy job involving some sort of softening agent (I used kitchen surface cleaner and then a scrapper). I think this will be very difficult to do without marking the good centre panel, especially when working near the groove.

Then the inner panel will have to be masked off to protect it from the impact glue that is sprayed on.

I suppose you could glue the new lining on top of the old residual foam and glue, but that may be risky - the impact glue may not work and the new lining may have bumps all over it as it is not going onto a smooth surface. Try this entirely at your own risk!

Edit: In photo 33 the old glue and foam is the orange colour and behind is the cream coloured biscuit which can be seen in odd places. Glueing over that may be problematic.

Note the outer panel feels fragile and seems to be made of a fibre board of some type. The inner panel is hard and looks like fibre glass.

 

[Howey]

What an amazing write up a bridge all A2 owners are highly likely to need to cross!!