Sagging headliner

• Fabric hanging or ballooning down, usually worst at the rear or over the sunroof
• The material still looks intact — it is separating, not tearing
• A gritty orange or tan dust when you touch the underside of the loose fabric
• Sagging that gets worse in hot weather and appears to improve when cold

• Heat cycling: a parked car's roof cabin is the hottest part of the interior, and the foam degrades fastest there
• Age: most factory headliner foam begins to fail somewhere between eight and fifteen years
• Sun exposure and UV through a sunroof or large rear glass
• Humidity and repeated condensation, which accelerate the foam's breakdown

If the board is intact, re-covering it is both the cheaper and the better repair — you keep the factory-fitted panel that already matches your roof's contours. Replacement of the board itself is warranted only when it is warped, cracked, water-damaged, or crumbling. Ask any provider to tell you which of the two they are quoting for, because the price difference is substantial and the words are often used interchangeably.

A compact sedan with a flat roof and no sunroof is the simplest version of this job. A sunroof adds an opening, a shade, and drainage to work around. Panoramic roofs, rear entertainment screens, overhead consoles, and side-curtain airbags each add removal steps — and airbag-adjacent trim in particular is why some owners should not attempt this at home.

• OEM-style foam-backed fabric — the factory match, and the default choice
• Microsuede or suede-style — a premium finish, more expensive per yard
• Leather or vinyl — used mainly on custom and luxury builds; heavier and harder to fit
• Perforated material — where the original roof was perforated for acoustics

• Roof surface area — a van or SUV roof is far larger than a sedan's
• Sunroof, panoramic roof, or multiple shade panels
• Trim complexity: pillar covers, grab handles, lighting, airbags
• Material choice, from OEM-style cloth up to suede or leather
• Whether the board itself needs repair or replacement
• Regional labour rates and specialist experience

We publish no prices for this repair on any provider’s behalf and hold no transaction data. For planning ranges and how they are derived, see the cost guide and the methodology.

• The whole roof, doors open, in daylight
• A close-up of the worst-sagging area
• The sunroof opening and shade, if fitted
• The pillar and grab-handle trim nearest the sag
• The door-jamb sticker showing year, make, model, and trim

• Are you quoting to re-cover the existing board, or to replace the board?
• What material will you use, and is it foam-backed?
• Will you remove the board from the vehicle, or work in place?
• How do you handle the airbag-adjacent pillar trim?
• What warranty covers the workmanship, and for how long?
• How long will the vehicle be with you?