The upholstery on the ceiling inside my 1994 Saturn needs to be replaced. Thirty percent of the upholstery/fabric is gone and foam rubber is showing. How would I make the necessary repair? It doesn’t have to be a perfect job…just something to keep it from deteriorating further. (I just got the car a few days ago). Thanks!!!
Getting the headliner out may be the toughest job. After removing visors, courtesy lights, pillar trim and possibly shoulder harness hardware, the headliner might possibly exit a back door but sometimes it is necessary to remove the back seat and exit the trunk. Once removed, the foam and material must be scraped from the hard backing. New material is available at most upholstery shops and even fabric stores.
It sounds like it’s just the fabric is in poor shape. If you’re looking for a quick and inexpensive fix that doesn’t have to look perfect, you could buy some matching fabric from a craft store and glue/staple/whatever it into place over the existing fabric.
If the foam is deteriorating too and you’re concerned about appearance, you probably need to replace the foam and fabric like Rod Knox suggested.
There are headliner kits at some auto parts stores. Check the chain stores to see if they have them in stock. They include the fabric and spray-on glue. It should be a one-size-fits-all deal. Just trim away the fabric you don’t need after you finish bonding the new one on.