Your car roof lining can be fixed without removing it with four methods: gluing it back in place, pinning it to the car’s roof, through the application of double-sided tape, or with a steam cleaner and paint roller.
If you’ve owned your vehicle for a while or live in a warm, humid climate, your car’s roof lining may start to sag—either along the edges or in the middle—creating an unsightly drooping effect that can even reduce visibility if left unchecked. Once this happens, you have two choices: repair the lining yourself or replace the headliner completely.
Generally speaking, fixing a sagging car roof liner yourself is going to be much cheaper than replacing it—that’s why car insurance
broker app Jerry
has put together this guide detailing several ways to fix your car roof lining without removing it. We'll also go over average costs for roof repair and show you how to lower your car insurance expenses with our trusted quote comparison tool
! What is your car headliner?
A car’s headliner, or the upholstery that covers the roof, is made up of three distinct parts—an outer layer of fabric, a sturdy inner substrate, and an inner foam backing.
It helps insulate the vehicle and improve your car interior’s visual appeal while also dampening sound and vibrations.
Depending on how your vehicle is upholstered, this outer fabric layer may be made with vinyl, leather, or cloth. The inner substrate may consist of either fiberglass or a thick cardboard.
Why does the roof lining start to sag?
Like most things in your vehicle, the roof lining ages. Over time, the outer fabric layer may come loose or separate from the backing board, in which case it will sag and droop downwards.
This is often due to one of the following:
Poor maintenance: If you fail to take care of the interior of your vehicle, the upholstery, carpet, and roof lining can all suffer premature wear and tear.
Glue failure: Another common reason for the headliner to sag is glue failure, where the original adhesive holding the lining in place loses its stickiness over time.
Extreme heat and humidity: If your vehicle is regularly subject to high temperatures, humidity, and other unsavory weather conditions, it can cause the glue securing the lining to melt or dampen, thereby reducing its ability to hold the headliner in place.
UV exposure: Oftentimes, the area where your headliner meets the windshield near the visors is the first place sagging occurs—this is largely due to the fact it receives the most sunlight and therefore the most UV ray exposure.
MORE: How to repair loose car door panel upholstery
Can you fix the car roof lining without taking it off?
Yes—if your car roof lining starts to sag, comes loose, or becomes otherwise damaged, there are a couple of ways to fix the lining without having to take it off or remove it from the roof entirely.
These methods are often quicker, cheaper, and require less expertise than a full headliner replacement, making them perfect for repairing minor damage or wear.
How to fix sagging headliner
If you’re looking to repair your car’s headliner at home rather than paying someone else to do it, try one of the four DIY methods listed below.
Use glue
If your car’s headliner has started to sag along the edges or at a corner, the easiest way to repair it is with glue, specifically a spray-on headliner adhesive made for attaching car roof lining—though hot glue can work in a pinch if you don’t have the professional spray adhesive.
Pin it to the car roof
You can also fix sagging car roof lining by using pins to pin it back in place. Simply take a few pins (pushpins, sequin pins, clear-headed twist pins, etc.), push them through the fabric layer into the foam backing board, and your headliner should look good as new!
MORE: How to replace your car carpet
Use double-sided tape
Another option for repairing sagging headliner, especially on edges and corners, is by taping it back in place with double-sided tape.
Out of all the methods listed, this is probably the least effective. Tape loses its stickiness faster than glue, so it should be treated more as a quick fix than a permanent solution.
Use a steam cleaner and paint roller
Lastly, you can use a steam cleaner and a paint roller to reattach your sagging headliner fabric—all you have to do is apply the steam cleaner to the liner, let the original adhesive melt from the heat, and use the roller to smooth out any creases in the fabric so that it sets up evenly.
MORE: How to know if a mechanic is taking too long with car repairs
How much does it cost for headliner repair?
If you DIY your headliner repairs using one of the methods listed above, you’ll rarely pay over $20-$50 for the materials/tools involved.
Professional headliner repairs at an auto shop, on the other hand, typically range between $150 and $500—though this largely depends on the extent of the damage and whether you’re replacing the headliner entirely.
Going to the dealership to replace your car roof lining will be even more expensive and usually falls somewhere in the range of $500 to $900.
MORE: 10 ways to get cheap car insurance that’s actually good
How to find affordable car insurance
Allowing maintenance issues to pile up can quickly increase your yearly vehicle-related expenses, making it important to reduce them wherever possible.
Thankfully, licensed car insurance
super app Jerry
makes it easy to do just that, saving the average user $800+ a year on their car insurance payments alone! Simply download the app and answer a few questions, and Jerry will get to work finding the best deals for you across dozens of top insurance providers.
Once you find a policy that works for you, Jerry can even help you navigate the sign-up process or cancel an old plan. You don’t have to contact us by phone unless you want to.
“All of the insurance quotes I saw were over $600 a month because of my age. Then I stumbled upon Jerry
, and they sliced my price in half! They found me the lowest rate, thank goodness.” —Will V.
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