How to Repair a Headliner in a Ford Explorer

by Brenda Priddy

Repairing a Ford Explorer headliner is made easier by the fact that removing from the vehicle is not difficult. The only kind of repair possible without replacing the headliner cloth is to readjust how the cloth sits on the headliner to eliminate sagging. Replace any torn or damaged cloth with new headliner cloth. Once you have removed the headliner from the vehicle, the rest of the repair is just as simple.

Step 1

Locate the plastic circular pieces holding the headliner in place. Pop out the plastic pieces and set them aside. Unscrew the screws under the plastic circles. Place the screws into a small container.

Step 2

Remove the bolts holding the sun visors, seat belt holders and grab handles. Set aside the parts and screws. Remove the screws holding the dome light in place.

Step 3

Remove the side trim pieces holding the headliner up. Each trim piece has metal or plastic clips to unhook and a small screw holding the trim piece in place.

Step 4

Allow the headliner board to drop and pull it out of the vehicle.

Step 5

Pull the headliner cloth away from the vehicle. Wash the cloth in the washing machine and allow it to air-dry.

Step 6

Inspect the headliner for signs of damage. If there are burns in the headliner, then you should probably replace the cloth. However, if sagging was the only issue, you can easily fix the problem.

Step 7

Place the headliner on a flat surface. Spray the headliner with spray adhesive.

Step 8

Fold the headliner cloth in half. Place the middle of the fabric on the middle of the headliner board. Carefully lay the fabric flat over the headliner board. Gently smooth out the fabric toward the edges with your hand.

Step 9

Rub your hand quickly back and forth over the cloth once you have it set in the right place. This will help the cloth adhere to the adhesive and remove any air bubbles. This will also prevent the cloth from sagging in the future.