- Written ByJohn Goreham
- 5/9/2024
Edited ByJulie Bausch Lent
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One interior component that commonly fails as a vehicle gets older is the interior headliner. Vehicle headliners can peel, droop, or otherwise deteriorate due to exposure to hot outdoor parking conditions. While those in the northern part of the U.S. may not find this to be a common issue, in the southern and western states, it is something many owners of older cars, trucks, and SUVs struggle with.
What does a car’s headliner do?
The headliner in your car is effectively the ceiling. The material and design of a vehicle’s headliner are chosen to help reduce noise in the cabin and also to offer insulation.
Under the textile surface you see is usually a foam insulating material. This material has things hidden under it as well. There may be audio wires or satellite radio wires running alongside the header trim or under the headliner. Many modern vehicles have speakers directly in the ceiling. Acura now installs headliner-mounted speakers in multiple locations as part of its ELS STUDIO 3D sound system.
Image by Jane Goreham
Headliners also coexist with moonroofs, panoramic moonroofs, and now nearly full glass roofs on many vehicles. As you can see, many more trim parts are involved when a car has such a roof feature. Moisture or water leaks from such roofs can often cause a deteriorated or failing headliner. If that is the case with your vehicle, a repair of the root cause of the issue will be needed to prevent another failure.
Moonroofs are not entirely waterproof. Instead, they rely on drains that channel water down a car's A, B, and C pillars to keep the water out of the cabin. If these channels become blocked with leaves and debris, the water can back up and damage the car’s headliner. Any trusted mechanic or body shop can help you with blocked drains.
Image courtesy of Acura
How is a vehicle’s headliner repaired or replaced?
A repair may be the better option if the headliner has simply sagged in one spot. If the headliner’s fabric outer layer has delaminated from the foam backing, a shop can often use adhesive to re-affix the two layers and your headliner will look substantially better. If the headliner develops bubbles in a few locations, this method may also be the best bet if the headliner is looking good in general.
In some fortunate cases, a repair shop that has a steamer may be able to use a steam hose to reactivate the old glue and then re-affix the headliner’s fabric to its foam backing layer.
If the headliner has failed in many locations, or if the entire headliner including, its foam insulating layer, has begun to fall or sag, a replacement is likely the best course of action. An installer will remove the old headliner and then purchase the correct parts to replace it.
Image by John Goreham
Can I just paint the headliner in my car?
It may seem tempting to paint the headliner in your car. However, doing so without getting paint all over the trim and glass will involve a lot of prep work. That same amount of time, effort, and material costs would be better used toward a proper replacement. Also, the paint is unlikely to be happy with the temperature-related expansion and contraction inside a car’s interior. We suggest not painting the headliner.
Can I fix my headliner myself?
If your headliner requires repair, you can sometimes fix it yourself. Kits for just such a repair are available online and at parts stores. The kit has fasteners and retainer rings (washers) that will allow you to screen up into the foam backing to help support a sagging headliner’s inner layer. There is a fiberboard backing behind the foam layer of headliners that the screws bite into.
Users offer good reviews of such kits. However, at the end of the process, your headliner is now dotted with rows of the buttons that cap the washers. This works well if your aim is to make the car presentable but not bring it back to a like-new appearance. The kits generally cost under $75. Bear in mind what you will be doing is replacing the fabric cover over the headliner. If the foam behind that is degraded, you may not have the option for this simple repair.
Who can replace your vehicle’s headliner?
Your local mechanic may be willing to tackle the job of repairing or replacing a headliner. Likewise, a local body shop may be willing to take on the project. An interior upholstery company is likely your best option if you can find one. That industry is a dying breed, sadly. When you search, look for a person who has done the job in the past. Make a lot of phone calls to find the most experienced installer you can.
When does getting the dealer involved make sense?
You could ask your dealer for a headliner replacement, but short of a fire or accident where your insurance provider is footing the bill, this won’t make financial sense. Even if you work with a dealer, they may subcontract the job to a local body shop unless they have their own captive collision repair center.
Will my extended warranty cover a headliner repair or replacement?
Unfortunately, most vehicle extended warranties sidestep responsibility for your car’s interior upholstery, trim, and headliner. The exclusion is often termed “soft trim.” Inclusive extended warranties that we have seen did not list the vehicle's headliner among the parts or systems they covered.
How much does it cost to replace a vehicle headliner?
There is more than one way to replace a vehicle’s headliner. If you have a very common, high-volume, older car, such as a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Accord, there is likely to be an aftermarket headliner kit available at a moderate cost that can be used as the replacement part. The cost will depend on how many of these cars were built, how often the headliners ended up failing, and how many suppliers opted to manufacture the needed kit. If you luck out, the cost could be in the low hundreds for the kit. The labor will be a half-day or so, likely billed at between $75 and $150 per hour.
If you need to use a “factory” kit supplied by your vehicle’s dealer network, you are going to pay a lot more for the parts. The upside will be that the headliner will be a perfect match. This may be an option for those who have a very good condition vehicle but that for some reason has a bad headliner.
Another factor in the cost of replacing a headliner is the material the manufacturer used to create it. Suppose it is a modern and fancy Alcantara or Ultrasuede microfiber textile. In that case, the cost may be higher than if it is the generic “mouse fur” that affordable cars usually come with.
How much trim the headliner has will also be a factor. In an older, smaller car with no moonroof, the shell is basically one large piece to install with trim around the outer edge and the dome light. If your car has multiple moonroofs, a panoramic moonroof, or ceiling-mounted speakers, expect the installation cost to go up significantly.
Car Talk scoured the world wide web to find example prices for headliner replacements and found that, for the most part, they are under $1,000, and repairs can be much lower in cost. However, if you have a fancy car with all the roof trim challenges we pointed out above, the cost can rise to multiple thousands of dollars.
| Type of Vehicle | Example Model | Headliner Replacement Budget |
|---|
FAQ
- What is the average cost to replace a vehicle headliner?
The average cost to replace a car’s headliner will be $500 to $1,000. However, that price is skewed towards high-volume models likely to have aftermarket parts kits available. Expect the cost to be higher for fancy cars with ceiling-mounted interior features like speakers and a moonroof.
- Can sagging car headliners be repaired?
Yes, sagging headliners that suffer from the fabric delaminating from the headliner’s foam backing can often be repaired affordably for under $300. There are also DIY kits available that cost under $75.
- Who can repair my car’s headliner?
Upholstery shops, body shops, independent mechanics, and even some detailers are all options for vehicle headliner repair.
- Does my car really need its headliner?
Your car will run just fine without a headliner. If your vehicle is on its last legs and the sagging headliner is bothering you, removing it is an option. However, the headliner helps reduce noise and offers insulation.
- Will my car’s extended warranty cover a sagging headliner?
Extended warranties typically exclude all “soft trims” from coverage.
Editor's note and disclaimer: Car Talk is supported by our fans, readers and listeners. When you click on some of the links on our website, we may receive referral compensation. However, you should know that the recommendations we make are based on our independent editorial review and analyses.
