Saggy headliners

[oprn]

This seems to be a real common problem on the VW water pumpers. I have 2 of them now with this issues and possibly getting a third. It seems that the glue the factory uses is time and heat release. Anyone had any success in sticking them back up in place and what did you use?

Thanks Merv
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[TornadoRed06]

Yeah, cars that suffer from extended exposure to sun, soon or later will have it.
Like you say, cheap glue looks like the most obvious culprit, I guess Antolin will know how to fix it but my advice will be re-gluing it with spray glue. You will have to remove the headliner from the car first.
Fun job!

[oprn]

Well, I have 3 of them to do now, a '92 Jetta, an '02 Jetta and an '05 Golf Variant.
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[mintonman]

I have a 99 mk4 jetta, a 2000 mk4 golf and a 2005 mk4 gti and all of them had saggy headliners. I went to a local upholstery shop and asked them how much to just recover my headliner telling them I would remove it, strip the old material off, clean all the old foam and glue off and reinstall it myself. $100 bucks was the price I was given and have had 2 done so far, worth every penny since you just can't get the glue they do or apply it the way they do. So you might want to see if you have a shop close by to you that does convertible tops and interior work and save yourself the hassle of doing all that work only to have it pealing and sagging after a year if it even stays up that long.
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under the influance "DUH"

[mintonman]

Here's the golf headliner waiting to be recovered
_________________
Hoockd on fonicks werkt for mee?
under the influance "DUH"

[Butcher]

I believe it is more of an environmentally friendly glue vs being cheap. Most manufacturers have problems keeping things attached when it comes to interior pieces.

I would not use anything in a spray can. Find out what the professionals use. Maybe a local upholstery shop would help you.

[volksworld]

its not the original glue itself that fails...the headliner material had a very thin foam backing and this foam is what deteriorates and turns to dust...had one done by a mobile headliner guy...i pulled out the backer board myself ( A pillar airbag covers a pia to release)...they wirebrushed the remaining foam off the board and used weldwood landau cement in a spray gun ...folded headliner material in half front to rear and laid it on board...sprayed the1/2 board and the back of the folded piece and kinda unrolled it back to adhere it, making sure no wrinkles....then folded back the other half and did the same...flipped it over, trimmed to shape and wrapped and glued the edges to the top...got others here that need it done and plan on doing them myself...i've found actual weldwood landau cement online in spray cans recently so hopefully its equivalent to the gallon can bulk stuff so i wont have to sacrifice a harbor freight spray gun...the aftermarket material has thicker foam so you kind have to fight the sunroof panel a bit to open it

[sgnimj96]

The quickest fix is to just use tacks to stick it back up.
Upholstery tacks are even better,
they have little ridges on the stem to help hold them in.
It can be temporary or 'sort-of-permanent' fix.
You can get expensive fabric store ones, or just go to the dollar store.
I know it's tacky, but not as tacky as a sagging headliner.

[oprn]

Thanks all! I was hoping for a quick fix but it sounds like quick = ugly so time to man up and take them all apart.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[mintonman]

Be prepared for a really messy job if you are going to take on the old foam removal. I used a mixture of dish soap, rubbing alcohol and water mixed up in a spray bottle. Sprayed an area heavily and used a stiff nail brush(for cleaning finger nails) to scrub the foam off. The foam gets sticky and clogs the brush up so it needs constant cleaning. Not a fun job and like said, it's a sticky mess but saves a ton of cash and the 2 I had recovered look great.
_________________
Hoockd on fonicks werkt for mee?
under the influance "DUH"

[samstheman]

A big stiff brush to clean Off the deteriorated foam. Try not to put finger marks or dents in headliner. Purchase new headliner material cover board pull back half and spray contact cement on both headliner and fabric. Use the Palm of hand to stick it down make sure glue dries 2 to be 4 min is not wet to touch do not pull or re adjust once u stick down the pocket areas are going to be tricky if ur first time. Do same for other half. Use a spray gun to put on contact cement and make sure glue has 100 percent coverage. Let headliner dry before reinstalling Oreo put hundred fingerprints dimples when installing. I’ve been doing this kind of work for some time now. Totally a d I y project but can go south real quick because of the glue factor.

[oasis]

If you can fix it yourself, great! I had to pay oodles of bucks to have my '02 Golf and '03 Beetle replaced, but I am happy with it looking proper again.
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Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI