Just noticed last week the headliner in my 2007 XJ8 VDP 39K left side rear window has a sag about 10 inches in diameter. The remaining headliner is in perfect condition. I have been reading about some who have had their entire headliner replaced. Seems a waste and a difficult project surely there is a fix to repair this small area any suggestions?

Thanks,

Wayne Jones
Georgia

 

Wayne,

I've moved your question from New Member Area - Intro a MUST to X350 forum. This is the place to post tech questions about your model.

Graham

 

I've got the same problem with my '06. I spoke to a specialist and was told the problem is that the interior padding deteriorates. That coupled with the sharp bends in the inside roof line causes the sags. He offered to re-glue the sagging area but said that it would not last very long as more of the stuff inside would dry up and flake off.

The only permanent solution is replacement. Unfortunately, in my, and I think your model year, the back window must be removed to get the headliner out. Since I'm not prepared to shell out the money for the job I've made due with some headliner repair buttons from Advance auto. They're clear plastic buttons that corkscrew into the headliner. They're not all that attractive but they keep things from falling on my passengers - and if I adjust the rearview mirror just so... I don't see them.

 

I think the buttons are in fact the only temporary fix and they do leave something to be desired.

That said, the VDP is a long wheelbase and doesn't require removal of the rear windscreen to replace the headliner. That is true for the SWB XJ's.

It is a PIA job but you can do it yourself with some basic DIY skills.

 

Several of our members have reported successfully removing and recovering the headliner of their SWB X350s without removing the rear glass. Here's a representative example:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...2/#post1079718


Cheers,

Don

 

I removed and replaced my headliner last year. It took a whole weekend for me and it was a massive PITA, but the new grey suede looks fantastic, so it was worth it in my opinion. If you have the long wheelbase, you can squeeze it out the door. Just follow the steps listed in the tech manual.

If you just want a quick fix, you could punch in a few strategic staples to keep it tight. I couldn't get the the material to conform properly in the passenger sunvisor area, so I punch a few staples to keep it from dragging the rest down. Works a charm.

 

Mine is dropping in the back a little. Sure it will get worse. Where did you purchase the new one?

 

I ordered a roll of material off ebay. It was around $80 I think. It was enough to cover the headliner, the pillars, the sunvisors and the sunroof panel. Got a couple of cans of spray adhesive (high temp formula for headliner use) from pep boys and went to work. You have to completely scrape off the old crumbling orange foam/glue from the headliner board before you can adhere the new material. Make sure you order the material with the foam backing, specially made for headliner use. I wish I could find the link for the material.

I'll take some pictures of it. It really elevates the interior.

 

"Grey suede" (vs stock felt/velour) sounds like something that does not have the 'suicidal' foam layer. Which for ME is preferable, 'coz I don't want to have to do this twice.

What did you use, and whence sourced?

 

For our '93 I purchased the foam-backed headliner material at the local JoAnn Fabrics store. Retail was around $15.00 or $17.00 per yard but my wife found a 2-for-1 coupon so I got two yards for the price of one. They also have frequent 50% off sales.

Foam Backed Headliner Fabric Tan | Jo-Ann
Foam Backed Headliner Fabric Grey | Jo-Ann

JoAnn officially carries only "gray" and "tan" fabric, but you'll find some differences in the dye lots from roll to roll, so take a clipping from your original fabric to find the roll that best matches your color.

+1 on XJ8JR's recommendation of high-temperature spray adhesive designed specifically for headliners. 3M, Permatex, DAP and others make special adhesives to survive the heat of a car roof baked by the sun. Check the manufacturers' temperature ratings. I used 3M on our '93's headliner several years ago and it's still holding up beautifully.

Here are photos of the fabric from JoAnn being applied:

Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page


Cheers,

Don

 

I did the same on my 86 VDP Don. It was much easier than our "newer" cats appear to be, (having only scanned the manual), but still a bit of a pain. If memory serves, it took me about 6 hours. I pulled it as part of my project to re-insulate the vehicle using Lizard Skin.

 

It's not an actual suede, its a synthetic microsuede. Very soft to the touch with a nice nap to it. It did have the foam backing on it, but you can find material without it. I used non-backed material to cover the sunroof panel and the sunvisors, but the rest of the headliner and pillars have the foam backing.

I think if you intended to use a material without the foam, you'd have to make sure the headliner board is as smooth as possible so that the texture doesn't show through. I think you'd have to find a material a little thicker than normal so that the adhesive doesn't bleed through also.

I can't remember where I exactly I sourced the material.

 

I got quoted $375 to replace the headline in my 04 SWB. They will remove the headliner, scrape all the gunk off the board and replace with a similar coloured material.

This was with Headliner Magic - Automotive Headliner Replacement And Repair, Auto Marine Upholstery Headliner Material & Supplies in Garland, Texas.

They have a picture of a Jaguar XK Coupe headliner being replaced so they have an idea of whats needed. I will though when I drop my car off take a print off explaining about all the connections, the seats being removed and all the other things that they need to be aware of.

They reckon it will take about 2-3 hours. I will keep you posted.

 

That is a deal. I doubt even a pro can do all that in three hours.
The upside is it will be better looking than a first timers job. It has to be one of those jobs that is much easier after a few installs.

 

Ah - OK. I know that one, and it is common-enough.

I actually don't CARE if the finish is smooth as the original. I seek sumthin' that dasn't FAIL readily.

Starting with spring-bow held headliner (my '52 Ford), having had some fairly utilitarian ones (Dodge Valiant, several pickup trucks and cargo-ish vans), ALL the nice-looking foam-backed ones have failed (or in the case of the 2005 XJ8-L, ARE failing) ....solely In the foam layer.

Bits of it well-glued to both the backing board and to the fabric, nought but 'crumbs' in between.

Since last posting, I've searched Marine suppliers, found a few leads, and executive jet interior finishers, found a lot more possibles.

First go, once I get new brake lines made and fitted, may be a run at using my '84 Wagoneer station wagon as a guinea pig.

Dead-easy to pull the liner in and out, relatively, as it is simple, flat, and has the big rear hatch. Near-zero complications such as sunroof.

And no one will b***h if I get it wrong. More than once. BEFORE risking making a mess of the Jaguar...

Choices are dual-rated FAA/Automotive fire & etc natural WOOL. Cheap enough, but not all that 'scrubbable'.

Or natural leather. Not cheap atall, but one CAN rather easily clean it in-situ.

Leather would also need one or more seams, seeing as how them as produce it up close and personal don't get but so large before something or someone eats 'em.

I don't have a problem with seams.

There is enough 'busy stuff' already splashed around the overhead that dasn't even get noticed (grab handles, lights, and such..) that they'd probably go entirely unremarked...

 

You can and should also consider spraying or brushing a heat shield (such as lizard skin (no affiliation)). These liquid heat and sound barriers ARE effective. I've used them in combination on floors, trans tunnels, firewalls, wheel wells, cabin roofs and door panels. Both heat and sound are dramatically reduced. Specific stats are on the websites. I didn't own the last car long enough to see the results last but did take before and after temp readings, particularly around the trans tunnel and the roof.

I gave the data to the new owner but the temp differences before and after were notable.

I sprayed it on but it can be rolled/ brushed on too. Once you drop the headliner, apply to the roof directly. I did the pillars too but not necessary if all your trying to do is reduce/ reflect the heat to prevent early deterioration of the foam.

 

Thanks for that - I'll have a recce.

Update - did so. The maker has a FAQ page well worth reading ALL of. Not rocket science to use, but neither is it 'casual'. Eastwood and others among the 'usual suspects' carry it.

But wotever else, there will BE no foam. Deterioration quite aside, foam means that even if brand-new ...one daren't use a vacuum-cleaner on a headliner. DAMHIKT, either..

Even so, it ain't ever quite good enough for just YOU to know that..

 

Damn, I should have done that. >:/

 

At the risk of proving that I'm an idiot, I'll share my recent (30 minutes ago) experience re-spraying the headliner fabric on the sunroof of my 2004 XJ8, which began to droop a month ago.

Executive summary: an unmitigated disaster.

What happened? I was very careful protecting the interior of my car, and did a lot research before purchasing 3M headliner adhesive spray. I was prepared with a respirator and congratulated myself for setting aside some disused CDs that I had been using to tuck in the sunroof fabric during the past six weeks. (God, how I wish I could take back the last two hours and return to tucking in the fabric!)

Oh, I haven't explained what happened. Sorry. I pulled down the drooping fabric, ready to spray - and followed the 3M instructions. The windows were open, the temp was 80 degrees F. After shaking the spray can, I thought, "Hmmm, the spray nozzle looks very odd! But it must be right. After all, this is how it came from the factory."

Wrong. The crooked spray nozzle promptly distributed adhesive all over my headliner in a roughly 12" diameter, i.e. not just on the sunroof portion, but all over the headliner behind it. I tried tilting it to get the adhesive where it belonged, but no luck, it was spraying everywhere rather than on the area where the loose fabric needed to adhere. I realized that things weren't going the way I had intended, but I went on to the next step: using the small foam paint roller to get the fabric in place and spread out the adhesive that I'd just sprayed. But it began to dry immediately and the surface looked (and looks) terrible, with rivulets, ridges, and crater rims. Then I used a CD to tuck in the fabric just as I've been doing. No go. The spray had dried so quickly that there was no way - less than a minute after the initial spray - that the fabric was now pliable enough for me to tuck it in.

So it's just glopped on at the edges, with dried adhesive all over the headliner near the sunroof. Suffice it say that 1) I was defeated by the poorly-attached nozzle, 2) I am a total amateur, and 3) I won't be driving to any concourse events in the near future since the Jag is going to the shop for a new headliner. (Estimate two weeks ago: $650. Ugh.)

What's the lesson? Make sure the nozzle is on correctly. (It actually fell off after the first spray and once I got it back on, it worked properly. But the damage had been done.) And maybe get something other than 3M 38808 adhesive.



Sunroof headliner before (note the slight bulge where I had it tucked in).





Sunroof headliner after. (!)





Prepping the interior.

Drooping sunroof headliner fabric, early June.

 

So sorry that happened I had already decided to have mine done professionally but after seeing your results I am even more convinced. I have a price from a shop who has done Jaguars before for $350.00 not including the sunroof. My sunroof is perfect and hopefully it will continue to hold up.