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[chrisr]

Are there any problems in getting the headlining out of a facelift saloon? Just noticed that mine has begun to sag a bit and I'd like to get it retrimmed.
(and find out why its started happening)
Thanks.

[Doctor Gollum]

Last things first...

The foam breaks down and the glue fails over time.

Firstly, strip all the pillar trims and grab handles along with the overhead console and sun visors, sunroof trim if fitted. Front seats fully forward and fully reclined and rear seats folded forward.

It then drops down and slides out of the boot with a little persuasion. Bend it but don't fold it.

Estates are basically the same but easier because the tailgate opening is a decent size.

For recovering, you need to get ALL the old crap off the fibreglass backing, and it's an excuse to replace it with alcantara. 3mm foam backed regardless of the material chosen.

Also, if you have a sunroof it's the perfect opportunity to clean the drains.

[Valentin]

There is no way to extract it from a side door for a saloon ?

[Doctor Gollum]

Not without cutting it in half

What's wrong with through the boot?

[johnnydog]

A few years ago, I had a water leak on my 2002 3.2 Elite saloon that I eventually traced to a broken drain outlet on one from the sunroof drains, which necessitated removing the roof lining to be able to address it.
Whilst tracing the leak and dealing with the wet flooring, I had removed the front seats.
Once the A B and C pillar trim and was removed, and all trim that was mounted through points on the roof lining, I satisfactorily removed it at an angle through the rear doors with no undue strain on the lining. Unfortunately they are pretty unforgiving and don't bend much, so I choose the largest aperture to remove it with the least amount of distortion. I considered the boot but the width of the hole behind the seat backs was not as wide as taking it out at a 45 ° angle through the rear doors. They can be manipulated and twisted / bent only slightly but sufficiently to get it out. Another pair of hands is helpful, but I removed it on my own, but got a enlisted a helper to get it back in  ithrough the door aperture. The space behind the rear seats is not as wide as you may think dispite being wider at the top than the bottom.
So yes, the roof lining can be removed and replaced through the rear doors of a fl saloon without any damage whatsoever; I know it can because I have done it!

[STEMO]

A few years ago, I had a water leak on my 2002 3.2 Elite saloon that I eventually traced to a broken drain outlet on one from the sunroof drains, which necessitated removing the roof lining to be able to address it.
Whilst tracing the leak and dealing with the wet flooring, I had removed the front seats.
Once the A B and C pillar trim and was removed, and all trim that was mounted through points on the roof lining, I satisfactorily removed it at an angle through the rear doors with no undue strain on the lining. Unfortunately they are pretty unforgiving and don't bend much, so I choose the largest aperture to remove it with the least amount of distortion. I considered the boot but the width of the hole behind the seat backs was not as wide as taking it out at a 45 ° angle through the rear doors. They can be manipulated and twisted / bent only slightly but sufficiently to get it out. Another pair of hands is helpful, but I removed it on my own, but got a enlisted a helper to get it back in  ithrough the door aperture. The space behind the rear seats is not as wide as you may think dispite being wider at the top than the bottom.
So yes, the roof lining can be removed and replaced through the rear doors of a fl saloon without any damage whatsoever; I know it can because I have done it!

But you had the front seats out.

[Doctor Gollum]

Lightly bending to get it straight out through the boot is second only to removing the front or rear screen.

The less you can manipulate the panel the better the likely hood of not damaging it.

The fibreglass base layer is barely a millimetre thick. The foam and fabric actually provided it with some strength but once they start to fail,. it's very easy to damage.

[johnnydog]

A few years ago, I had a water leak on my 2002 3.2 Elite saloon that I eventually traced to a broken drain outlet on one from the sunroof drains, which necessitated removing the roof lining to be able to address it.
Whilst tracing the leak and dealing with the wet flooring, I had removed the front seats.
Once the A B and C pillar trim and was removed, and all trim that was mounted through points on the roof lining, I satisfactorily removed it at an angle through the rear doors with no undue strain on the lining. Unfortunately they are pretty unforgiving and don't bend much, so I choose the largest aperture to remove it with the least amount of distortion. I considered the boot but the width of the hole behind the seat backs was not as wide as taking it out at a 45 ° angle through the rear doors. They can be manipulated and twisted / bent only slightly but sufficiently to get it out. Another pair of hands is helpful, but I removed it on my own, but got a enlisted a helper to get it back in  ithrough the door aperture. The space behind the rear seats is not as wide as you may think dispite being wider at the top than the bottom.
So yes, the roof lining can be removed and replaced through the rear doors of a fl saloon without any damage whatsoever; I know it can because I have done it!

But you had the front seats out.

The time it takes to remove the front seats to give a bigger route for the roof lining to come out with minimal distortion is far better than risking distorting it more by trying to get it out of a smaller area, ie the space behind the rear seats into the boot....it's only some trim on the runners, slide the seat to access the front bolts, then slide it forward to access the rear runner bolts  before disconnecting the battery, have a brew, then disconnect the electrics under the seat.  Not worth risking bending the roof lining more than necessary in trying to get it out of the boot for the time it takes to take them out.

[STEMO]

A few years ago, I had a water leak on my 2002 3.2 Elite saloon that I eventually traced to a broken drain outlet on one from the sunroof drains, which necessitated removing the roof lining to be able to address it.
Whilst tracing the leak and dealing with the wet flooring, I had removed the front seats.
Once the A B and C pillar trim and was removed, and all trim that was mounted through points on the roof lining, I satisfactorily removed it at an angle through the rear doors with no undue strain on the lining. Unfortunately they are pretty unforgiving and don't bend much, so I choose the largest aperture to remove it with the least amount of distortion. I considered the boot but the width of the hole behind the seat backs was not as wide as taking it out at a 45 ° angle through the rear doors. They can be manipulated and twisted / bent only slightly but sufficiently to get it out. Another pair of hands is helpful, but I removed it on my own, but got a enlisted a helper to get it back in  ithrough the door aperture. The space behind the rear seats is not as wide as you may think dispite being wider at the top than the bottom.
So yes, the roof lining can be removed and replaced through the rear doors of a fl saloon without any damage whatsoever; I know it can because I have done it!

But you had the front seats out.

The time it takes to remove the front seats to give a bigger route for the roof lining to come out with minimal distortion is far better than risking distorting it more by trying to get it out of a smaller area, ie the space behind the rear seats into the boot....it's only some trim on the runners, slide the seat to access the front bolts, then slide it forward to access the rear runner bolts  before disconnecting the battery, have a brew, then disconnect the electrics under the seat.  Not worth risking bending the roof lining more than necessary in trying to get it out of the boot for the time it takes to take them out.

Yes, I know. But there was no mention of taking the front seats out in the original how to, so I was pointing out the difference. Sheesh. 😒

[Doctor Gollum]

The Omega seats are lighter than some, but assuming you've not snapped the bolts where they've seized to the floor or ruptured a disc or scratched the door shuts or door cards removing them, you still have to lift them back in again.

It's alot of unnecessary risk when there are easier ways to get it done.

[johnnydog]

There's a lot more difficult /risky jobs on an Omega than removing the front seats...depends how ham fisted you are and whether you take the appropriate care when removing them. Far more risky attempting to bend the roof lining out of the boot. I do sense a degree of negativity, or possibly some attempt to justify the earlier duff info that the lining could only come through the door aperture if cut in half....

[Doctor Gollum]

It was a figure of speech, but don't let that ruin your argument 

I simply offered up the way I would do it. If you choose an alternative method with all the pit fall I mentioned, that's on you. You don't have to have an allergic reaction to every suggestion that might be made just because you choose to.

[johnnydog]

Yes, I accept your comment was tongue in cheek, but it certainly did smack of the only way to remove a roof lining was your suggested way and absolutely no other. Which isn't the first time.....
There is often more than one way to skin a cat as they say.

[TheBoy]

Can you 2 stop bickering at each other all the time please. Its tedious.

OP has 2 valid methods to do the task they need to do, and the info to ascertain which is more sensible.


Thank you.

[Valentin]

Ok thanks Johnny, I asked about the side door because I had to take the headliner out of my Astra J GTC last month and I faced the same kind of problem. I removed front and rear seat and absolutely all the trims to see if it could go out by the side door, and the only clean way was actually to remove the windshield, what I didn't do. The headliner went through the boot opening and eventually damaged the corners, even worse when putting it back because the new fabric kept the bending marks.

So, for the Omega, removing the seats is the "peace of mind solution" from my point of view, in order to keep the headliner in the best shape possible.

Let's sum up like this for the saloon :
- By the boot : fastest solution but high risk of permanent marks because of distortion.
- By the rear side door : takes more time as front seats need to be removed but ensure almost no distortion.
- By the windshield : needs specific tools and knowledge, high risk of windshield damage if non professional, cleanest solution as it's maybe the process on the production line.

Those headliners are a pain, regardless the type of car, looks like they designed them to stay inside the cabin forever