As time goes by, the headliner of any vehicle will start sagging, which mainly happens because of the product quality. There are also cases where the headliner is torn for some reason, or even looks terrible because of water discoloration.
When a headliner is damaged, you don’t need to fix it to make your vehicle run. But it primarily affects the appearance of your vehicle, which is why many people mostly do this purely for cosmetic purposes.
In Jeep Cherokee, the headliner plays a vital role in making the vehicle look elegant and aesthetic. If you are ready to give it a try, learn all about Jeep Cherokee headliner replacement cost and installation guide to do it properly.
What is a Headliner?
Before we jump into all of the technicalities, you should know more about what a headliner is. A headliner is a vehicle material usually found glued inside cars and SUVs like Jeep Cherokee. You will find it attached to the backing board. The primary purpose of the headliner is to give your car a nice look and save you from the sun if your car has a glass sunroof.
Even if the headliner doesn’t suffer from any external damage over time, it will start to separate from the backing board since the headliner is made out of fabric. However, it usually takes several years to happen, but when it does, that is when you will want to get your headliner replaced.
Can You Drive in a Jeep Cherokee Without the Headliner?
Many people have a misconception that you will not be able to drive a vehicle if you have a damaged headliner. But, headliners in your Jeep Cherokee or most other vehicles only help with the vehicle’s looks.
There’s a misconception that headliners will keep water out of your car, which isn’t true. However, if your broken or torn headliner starts to leak or if it’s raining for a while, then you should try to duct tape the outside surface of your sunroof to stop any water leakage.
So in simple words, yes, you can drive in your Jeep Cherokee without the headliners or even with damaged headliners. It should not hurt anything apart from the aesthetics of your Cherokee.
How Long Does a Jeep Cherokee Headliner Last?
It’s quite a subjective question and has no actual standard answer to it. Whether it is a Jeep Cherokee or any other vehicle, the health of the headliner depends on the quality of the vehicle and the materials used to make the headliner.
If you have an expensive and high-quality car, you can expect to see your headliner last for decades and still look as good as new. If the headliner doesn’t suffer from a lot of dampness, you could even see it staying as good as new for the whole lifetime of the car.
On cheaper vehicles where the quality of most things is compromised, the headliners start to come off almost within 6 months. For some, the headliner sometimes comes off before the car even gets to leave the factory. So it does depend on how much you spent on your ride.
However, if you want to put a number on it, then most mechanics say, with reasonable care, you can hope that the headliner will last almost 10 to 12 or even 15 years. It goes for your Jeep Cherokee as well.
Most insurance cover the cost of replacing your headliner if it is damaged because of water intrusion.
When Should You Replace Your Jeep Cherokee Headliner?
As we already mentioned above, if your headliner is coming off and you don’t want to damage the aesthetics of your Jeep Cherokee, then a good idea would be to replace the headliner when you start to notice that it’s separating from the backing board.
Headliners are an essential part of your car since this multilayered material on the ceiling of your vehicle helps the passengers in the car be protected from the sun and keeps them cool. It also enables you to be warm by sealing the temperature of your Cherokee inside to make sure you stay comfortable.
Among others, a crucial safety reason to consider replacing the headliner would be your headliner just suddenly falling off while you drive, which might lead to an accident since it’ll abstract your view.
It generally takes years for the headliner to come across any damage and show signs of it. Again, with proper care, you can make the headliner last for the whole lifetime of the vehicle. However, if the headliner starts to sag and leak water inside your Cherokee, then you should consider replacing it.
You could also use duct tape to stop water leakage as a temporary solution. If you are more into the way your vehicle looks and its cosmetics, you should get the headliner replaced. Try to go for a good quality material that will last you for a while without giving you any trouble and worrying you about its condition.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Headliner in a Jeep Cherokee?
Okay, so here comes the main part, the cost of getting the headliner replaced. If you want to get your Jeep Cherokee headliner replaced with the help of professionals at a workshop, you’ll have to spend around $250 to even $900.
The cost varies so widely because it mainly depends on the year, model, and quality of your vehicle. The pricing will also vary depending on the design, material, and brand of the headliner of your choosing. You are most likely to get your replacement done within $700 or less, but keeping a budget of $800 to $900 will give you some room to select a suitable material.
How to Install a Headliner in a Jeep Cherokee?
If you have a worn-out or torn headliner in your Jeep Cherokee, a great way to restore the inside of your Cherokee to look completely new is by installing a new headliner. The replacement procedure is not that complicated, so if you want to save some extra bucks and ditch a professional workshop, you can easily do it yourself.
Required Tools
First, let’s list the tools you would need to get started:
- Bristle brush or sandpaper
- Paper clips
- Scissors
- Spray glue or super adhesive
- Replacement Headliner Kit or a headliner fabric
Installing the Jeep Cherokee Headliner
Once you got these things in your inventory, it’s time to get started with the installation process of the headliner.
- Step 1
The first step is to carefully remove all of the perimeter trims and bolts holding the headliner up. If you find dome lights, coat hooks, and hanger hooks, go ahead and remove those as well.
If your Jeep Cherokee model has clips to hold the headliner on the board, unclip them, and they should come off quickly.
- Step 2
The headliner should just come off at this point if you correctly removed everything that held the headliner up, including all the clips. Now, remove the worn-out headliner carefully.
Use sandpaper or bristle brush to remove the old foam and adhesive. Try your best to smoothen out the board. This way, you can prevent your new headliner from being damaged. You’ll get better results if your board is adequately smoothed out.
- Step 3
Lay down your replacement headliner in the right direction on the headliner board when you have it ready.
- Step 4
Fold the fabric while making sure you can see the shell. Apply the spray glue or super adhesive under the material.
- Step 5
Use your adhesive on one half of the headliner before moving to the next half to make sure it is secure and safe while you move forward.
Do not drive right after applying the adhesive if you don’t want a mess in your Cherokee. Let it completely dry off.
- Step 6
When it’s scorched, you can cut holes for your seatbelts, hanger hooks, and light. If there is excess fabric, feel free to cut them off. Leave just half an inch excess that you can hide when molding.
- Step 7
All there’s left to do is reinstall the board to your Cherokee, and you are set.
Ending Notes
Although the headliner has nothing to do with the machineries of your Jeep Cherokee, you should consider replacing your damaged headliner if you want your vehicle to look cooler.
If you follow all of the steps correctly of our Jeep Cherokee headliner replacement cost and installation guide, you will have great results without spending a lot at a professional workshop.
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