Before you can install your new exhaust parts you need to remove the old ones. Occasionally, old exhaust pipes can be removed simply by unbolting the clamps and prying the two pipes apart. But if the pipes have been in place for any length of time, its much more likely that you will need to use a pipe cutter or a torch.

Obviously the use of an oxygen/acetylene torch is beyond the scope of this article, so get yourself a quality exhaust pipe cutting tool. This tool is like a large set of plyers with a long chain that attaches to both jaws. The chain has a series of cutting wheels that dig into the steel when the chain is wrapped around the exhaust pipe, tightened, and rocked back and forth.

Always cut the pipe towards the part you are replacing so the remaining parts will not be cut too short. This will leave you with a small portion that will need to be removed.

Use a hammer and chisel to cut it away and remove it taking care not to damage the remaining pipes.

Fitting your exhaust pipes is usually fairly straight forward. You hang any exhaust components from their hangers and connect the pipes. However, there are a number of things to take into consideration when fitting your pipes, before they should be clamped down or welded together.

The first is quite simply the alignment of the pipes. Check to be sure that each pipe is properly aligned and will not interfere with the suspension or touch any hoses, cables, or the floor of the car or hang down and touch the road.

Also check that mufflers and tailpipes are not crooked. Also, pay attention to any embossed text on the muffler that may indicate which direction the muffler should be installed.

Lastly, any exhaust pipes that fit inside and over one another should be done so that the pipe nearest the front of the vehicle fits inside the pipe nearest the rear of the vehicle.

You may need to use an exhaust expander to expand the diameter of the rearwards pipe to fit, but be careful that you do not split the pipe.

Most exhaust pipes can be clamped in place using special U-bolt-type clamps known as Muffler Clamps. These are often used by aftermarket repair shops because they are very cheap and very easy. You should be able to find these at your local auto parts store in a variety of sizes for a buck or two.

First, connect your test light to the negative battery terminal and probe the positive side. If the test light does not light up there is either a major problem with the battery or you have a faulty test light.

If everything is working properly, you should next test for power at the device. You will need to remove the inside door panel to do this. Using your test light, probe the power wire at the point at which it connects to the motor. You will need to have the key in the run position and depress the power window switch in order to test for power.

If your test light lights up, you know that the motor is getting power and is likely the problem. To verify this, use a jumper cable to connect the negative side of the battery directly to the ground on the motor (usually the motor casing itself).

Now, assuming you did not get power to the motor than you know that there is a short or break in the power wire before the motor. Determining the location of the break is as simple as following the wire back to the power source, probing every few inches. When you find a point at which the test light lights up, you have found the location of the wiring problem.

Repair the break or replace the switch, fuse, etc, and you have repaired your wiring problem. The best thing about repairing your own wiring problems is that almost (key word: almost) all electrical problems are this simple. Take your time and work methodically through the circuit and find the cause of the problem.

REPAIRING DAMAGED WIRING

A high quality electrical repair means taking the time to tie up loose wires and make quality connections. Every connection, regardless of whether its inside the car or outside should be covered in heat shrinkable tubing. This will keep water and dirt out of the connection while helping to insulate it from nearby conductors.

If you're up to the task, solder is also a wise choose. This will require a soldering iron and the proper solder for electrical connections. Also, take a moment to consider the cause of the break or short circuit. If the wires have been rubbing or pinched against something, take the time to relocate the wires to prevent further occurances.

Be careful; old automotive wiring can be very brittle.

Lastly, be sure that any connections to ground or terminal blocks are first cleaned. Bad grounds are the most common electrical problem in vehicles.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Although a wiring problem may crop up with any of the electrical devices in your vehicle, there are a few problems that are fairly common. The first and foremost wiring problem is as simple as a bad connection to the car's battery. Battery terminals are often neglected and corroded. I've seen folks pay $50 for a tow because their vehicle won't start, only to have a loose and corroded battery terminal.

Another common wiring problem is a dim headlight. This occurs when the ground connection to the bulb is loose, corroded, or otherwise weakened. Take the time to find and repair the connection or simply run a new ground wire from the headlight to the frame of the vehicle.

• BULBS AND FUSES

Headlight bulbs:

Most modern cars use a bulb for the headlights and these are very easy to replace. All makes use the same system with little variation. Below you see the typical headlight bulb setup. You have the bulb and a retainer that holds the bulb in and the connector.

To replace this bulb, you simply unplug the connector, turn the retainer counterclockwise and remove it. Then just pull the headlight bulb out. With this type of bulb you must be careful not to touch the new bulb by the glass envelope. The natural oils from your skin will create a hot spot on the bulb and will shorten the life of the bulb and could, potentially, cause the bulb to explode when it is on.

When you pull the old bulb out, note the orientation of the bulb. There is a key that will allow the bulb to go in one way only. Install the new bulb the same way as the old one. Once the bulb is in, replace the retainer and plug in the connector. This is a five-minute job that anyone can do and it could save you a lot of money in fines and prevent an accident.

The other type of headlight is called a Sealed Beam headlight. This is a large bulb that is also the lens. There are two types of sealed beam headlights, standard light and halogen. They come in a round or rectangular shape. The standard and halogen bulbs should not be mixed on any one system although you can upgrade a standard system to halogen simply by replacing the bulbs. There are two and four headlight systems. Again, these lights are the same for all makes and models with few variations.

On a two-headlight system there are three terminals on the headlight, one is a ground, one is for low beam and one for high beam. These are dual filament bulbs and it is very possible one filament will burn out, usually the low beam filament and the other to be good. To replace these all you need is a Phillips or a #15 Torx screwdriver.

First remove the bezel around the headlights, there are usually four screws holding it on. Then with a round bulb there is a retaining ring with three small screws. Loosen these screws and rotate the ring counterclockwise and remove the ring. Remove the bulb and unplug the connector. There are three lugs on the bulb and three matching slots in the headlight frame. Be sure to match these up when you install the new bulb. This insures the bulb is in properly and that the lens on the face of the bulb properly illuminates the road. Now it's just a simple matter of replacing the retaining ring and bezel.

If you have rectangular headlights, the procedure is the same, except there are four screws on the retainer, two on the top and two on the bottom. Simply remove the four screws and replace the bulb.

In a four-headlight system the low beam lights (usually the outside lights) are the same as the two-light system. The inside lights (usually the high beams) have only two terminals and only come on when the high beams are used. The procedure for replacing these bulbs is the same as in a two-headlight system.

Turn signal and brake light bulbs

Turn signal and brake light bulbs are standard for all makes and models of cars with a few variations. The two most common bulbs are the 1157 and 1156 bulbs. The 1157 is usually used in applications where brake light and turn signals share the same bulbs and the 1156 is use for single purpose jobs.

The 1157 is a dual filament bulb while the 1156 is a single filament bulb. They look very similar but are not interchangeable. A common mistake is to put an 1156 into a socket for an 1157 bulb. This causes all kinds of weird problems like dash lights going on when you step on the brake. The 1157 has two brass terminals in the base while the 1156 has only one. The 1157 bulb is also keyed so it will only go into the socket one way. Note that one lock tab on the 1157 is higher than the other. This prevents it from going in wrong. Also note that the lock tabs on the 1156 are the same height so it will not go into an 1157 socket.

These bulbs also come in a bayonet style bulb and are keyed as well to prevent them from being inserted incorrectly.

To remove the round based bulbs you simply push the bulb in and turn it counter clockwise. On bayonet type bulbs there is a plastic tab that locks the bulb in. To remove these just use a small screwdriver to unlock the tab and pull the bulb out. It would be a good idea to wear gloves to protect your fingers should the bulb break. Replacing these bulbs is simple.

Sometimes the hardest part is getting to the sockets that hold the bulb. For most front turn signal bulbs and marker lights, it's just a matter of removing two screws from the lens, taking off the lens and removing the bulb. On some cars you can reach behind the light assembly and twist the whole socket assembly out and then replace the bulb. Marker lights are similar to the turn signals except most use a 197 bayonet type bulb.

In the back most tail light bulbs are accessible from inside the trunk. Some cars have a cover you remove to gain access to the sockets. Some cars have large plastic thumb type nuts that you remove and take the whole tail light assembly out. Other types have screws going through the lens assembly that you need to remove. These assemblies have all the bulbs for the rear in them. Back up, turn signal and brake light bulbs are all part of it.

Hatchbacks, wagons and pick-ups usually have access panels in the corners to let you get at the sockets or mounting screws. Most have the screws through the lens to replace bulbs.

This is where you have to be a little careful with the bulbs since 1156 and 1157 bulbs, and other types, are used back there. Depending on what type your car has, changing the bulbs is very similar to the front. Either twist the socket out and replace the bulb or twist the bulb out.

One place where you will run into the most problems is the Center Mount Stop Light (CMSL). Most are mounted inside the car on the rear deck lid. Removing these can be a problem. Some have mounting screws hidden by small plastic covers. Some have studs extending down into the trunk and are held in with small nuts. This requires you go into the trunk, remove the nuts and lift the whole assembly out. Some simply snap into place and can be difficult to remove if you don't know where the lock tabs are.

License plate lights are usually fairly simple to replace. Most simply have two screws, similar to the front, that go through the lens to gain access to the bulbs.

Fuses

Fuses are important in that they protect electrical circuits from overloading and short circuits. Nine times out of ten when you have to replace a fuse, something is wrong. If a new fuse blows as soon as you put it in, you have an electrical problem that needs fixing. Never install a fuse of a higher rating than the one installed. Doing so could result in damage to the electrical system.

Fuses are pretty cut and dried. All modern cars use the same type of fuse. They are plastic and come in different colors corresponding to their amp rating. They come in different sizes, from a "Mini-fuse" to a "Maxi-fuse". These fuses are clear so you can tell at a glance if the fuse is blown or not. Sometimes a fuse will wear out and the only way to tell, accurately, if the fuse is good is with an ohmmeter. Since these fuses are small, there is usually a fuse-pulling tool in the fuse box. This tool grips the top of the fuse and allows you to pull it out for inspection or replacement.

Older cars use a glass tube type of fuse. These are a clear glass tube with metal end caps. These also come in different ratings that are stamped on one of the metal end caps. Like the plastic fuses, you can see at a glance if they are burnt out. And, also like the plastic fuses, they wear out and an ohmmeter is required for testing.

Another type that was used on older European cars was a plastic fuse that had the fuse material on the outside. These were unreliable since the fuse material was exposed to air and in time became corroded and would break. These aren't used any more in favor of the newer plastic fuses.

Wiring your vehicle for trailer lights is easy and only takes a few minutes. Most factory and custom built trailers are wired with a flat 4-wire, quick connect receptacle. There are two basic types of this connector available - the shield type, and the standard type, either of which is compatible with the other. The wires on either type of receptacle are color coded - white, yellow, green and brown. The most common wiring code is:

Brown wire to the tail or parking lights
Green wire to right turn signal/stoplight
Yellow wire to the left turn signal/stoplight
White wire to common or chassis ground

An exception to this wiring code is if your vehicle has a 5-wire system that incorporates an amber or separate turn signal light in the rear of your vehicle. In this case you will need to purchase a trailer light converter that adapts the trailer's 4-wire system to your vehicle's wire system. They are available at your nearest Auto Store and come with complete and detailed wiring instructions. Just ask an experienced sales person for assistance.

Several types of wiring kits are available, from the basic economical kit with plug-ins and wire, to the deluxe kit that comes complete with chrome mounting brackets. Choose the kit that best fits your need and your pocketbook. The first step for wiring your vehicle for trailer lights is to locate the taillight wiring harness.

Most tail light wiring is accessible from inside the trunk or near the rear bumper. Next, find a suitable spot to connect the quick connect harness to, and double check to make sure the harness is long enough to reach the connector on the trailer. If additional wire or connectors are needed, just ask, your nearest auto parts store should have what you need.

Next, connect the clip end of the test light to a good, clean metal chassis ground. Next, turn the headlight switch to the headlamp/parking lamp "ON" position. With the test light, probe the wires until the test light comes on and stays on. Connect the brown wire to that wire with a quick connector (usually supplied with the kit). Remember to turn off the headlights once connected.

Turn the ignition switch to the "ON" or "RUN" position and activate the right turn signal. Once again, probe the wires with the test light until the light flashes. This wire will be the right turn signal and right brake light wire. Connect the green wire to this wire. Turn off the ignition.

With the ignition switch still in the "RUN" position, activate the left turn signal. Once again, probe the wires with the test light until the light flashes. This wire will be the left turn signal and left brake light wire. Connect the yellow wire to this wire. Turn off the ignition.

The last wire to connect is the white wire. Locate a good metal chassis ground and connect the white wire there using sheet metal screw, or attach it to an existing ground wire. Your installation is complete.

Now hook the harness to the trailer connector and check all the lights for proper operation. If not all lights work at first, double check the quick connectors for proper connector or check the trailer light bulbs. You may want to tape all connections with electrical tape to help ensure trouble-free connections in the future. Place the wired trailer connector back in the trunk or secure underneath the car, clear from any exhaust pipes or road obstructions.

This technique is best for small chips or scratches, like near the edges of trunk and door openings. If it is around 70 degrees or less outside, you should do this in a heated garage. If you live in Yuma, Arizona or Reno, Nevada, work early in the day so the paint doesn't dry out too quickly.

The dealers parts department will have the color for your car and that will get you as close as possible to the correct color. Then get some clear coat and primer if the chip goes down to the metal. Make sure you use an automotive primer, not the spray primer you get at the hardware store or home center. If your dealer has the clear coat and primer that would be the best way to go since it will usually be by the same manufacturer.

If you follow these directions carefully, and have some patience, you will get a quality repair that will last for years.

The first thing to do is to mask off the area around the chip with masking tape up to a 1/4" around the chip. Now using lacquer thinner or alcohol clean the area of dirt, wax and road grime from inside and around the chip. Use a clean, lint free cloth. Do not use any type of paper towel or tissue. If the chip goes down to bare metal, use some 40 grit emery cloth to scratch up the metal so the primer and paint will have something to grab on to. Make sure any rust that may have formed is cleaned out as well.

Using the applicator brush or a toothpick, I use the end of a paper match myself, coat the bare metal with the primer. Try not to get it on any of the paint, just the bare metal. You want a smooth layer, just enough to cover the bare metal, with no bumps or lumps. Let this dry for at least 24 hours.

This is where patience and a steady hand comes in. With you applicator apply a nice thin even layer of paint with no bumps or lumps. Don't go and try to do fill the whole chip in, but do make sure you get paint in all the corners. If you get a little sloppy use a cotton swap with a little bit of lacquer thinner to clean up any excess paint. Leave the applicator out for about 30 seconds if the paint is too thin. If it's too thick, add about six or eight drops of lacquer thinner to the tube of touchup paint and shake very well. Start out with a small amount of lacquer thinner and add one or two drops if necessary. It's much harder to remove lacquer thinner form the paint than it is to add it.

Once you're done, let it sit for another 24 hours. The paint will shrink quite a bit as it dries. That's why we don't want to use too much. If it starts to get lumpy, use some 800-grit Wet/Dry sandpaper. Just sand the new paint you don't want to mess up the surrounding, good, paint.

Now repeat this procedure until the pain is almost flush with the surrounding paint. You want to leave a small recess for the clear coat. This will probably be only one or two coats of paint. More if the area has been repainted once before.

Wait about a week, a little longer if the weather is a bit cool, and coat the damaged area with clear coat. If all has been going well you might be able to simply build up the clear coat to the level of the original paint without overlapping and it will be, nearly, invisible.

If things have not gone so good you'll have to blend the repair with the factory paint. Apply clear coat about a 1/4" around the damaged area. Keep doing this over a few days allowing for drying and shrinkage. Keep doing this until you've built it up a couple of thousandths of an inch. A little bit more than the thickness of a sheet of loose leaf paper. Allow this to dry and shrink in the sun for at least a week.

When it's good and set you can, very carefully, sand it with 800-grit Wet/Dry sandpaper to blend it all in. This will leave a dull finish so you will need to follow up with some medium to fine polishing compound and a soft lint free cloth. This will make the repair nice and shiny.

If you used the procedure outlined above and it didn't come out as nice as you'd like, you might try using spray paint to get a better and more invisible repair. You'll need to use the lacquer thinner or alcohol to clean and degrease the area and make sure there is no rust in the injury. Now get a thin piece of cardboard, a file folder works very nicely, and cut a 1½" hole in the center. Here's a little hint, carefully warm the spray primer in a bowl of warm water to about 100°.

Hold the cardboard in one hand with the hole over and about two inches from the injury. Now move the paint can back and forth while spraying. Start spraying on the cardboard, move it across the hole and stop spraying on the cardboard. Do not start or stop the spray over the hole, it will run and lump on the car. If the cardboard is kind of small, mask the car with more of the cardboard. Don't use newspaper because the paint will soak right through it. Give it three or four light coats. If you think it's not enough, then you have the right amount applied. You don't want the paint to run.

Now go inside and have a drink and relax. In about an hour go out and do it again. When it's done and dry, take the masking off and using your 800-grit sandpaper take off the bulk of the primer leaving it to almost fill the injury. Use some medium-rubbing compound to remove any overspray from the surrounding paint. Keep in mind that the primer will shrink in a few days.

Now using the same procedure you used for the primer, mask the area and using your cardboard with the hole spray the matching paint on the injury. Three or four coats about 30 minutes apart should do the trick. Take the masking off and let it dry for 24 hours. Use your medium rubbing compound to take care of the over spray. After a couple of days repeat the process with the clear coat. You might want to give it a light sanding with the 800-grit sandpaper but I think the medium-rubbing compound should be enough to get a nice shine out of it.

• REPAIRING THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER

The first thing to check is the fuse. Rear window defrosters draw a ton of current so if you have a fuse that's too low, it won't last long. If the fuse looks good, check it with a test light or voltmeter. You should have battery voltage on both sides.

If the fuse and voltage tests are both good, the problem is in the wiring or in the defroster grid itself. Look at the sides of the grid. There is a terminal on each side and sometimes they fall or get knocked off. If one or both have come of and are just hanging there are two ways to repair them. You can glue them back on or you can solder them back on.

If you know how to solder and have a 200-watt soldering gun or iron, you can solder the terminals back on to the defroster grid. A third hand is very handy in doing this so get the spouse to come out and help you for a while.

Most times there is a metal backing strip below the silk screening and attached to the glass. Clean the area well, alcohol works best, and use 60-40 rosin core solder. DO NOT USE ACID CORE SOLDER!! It will eat away all the metal parts over time and leave you with nothing. Make sure your soldering gun or iron is hot before you solder the terminals. Work as quickly as you can to keep the glass from getting too hot and possibly cracking.

If you don't think you have the soldering skills necessary or are just afraid of cracking a very expensive window, there is an alternative. Some dealers and larger auto parts stores sell a special electrically conductive epoxy to glue the defroster terminals back on. If it's cold out, you'll need to work in a garage that is heated and the whole car warmed up to above 65° F.

To do this with the epoxy you need to clean the area, again, alcohol works best. Using tape, mask off the area so you don't get epoxy where you don't want it. Read the package directions and mix up a small amount of the hardener and epoxy. You don't need a lot for this. Now put a little epoxy on the defroster grid and a little on the bottom of the terminal. Place it in position and use a toothpick to hold it in place until the epoxy sets up. This usually takes about 10 or 15 minutes or so. You can dampen the end of your finger with water and move the epoxy around to make it look better if you want. If you do this you have to do it in the first minute or two or forget it.

After the epoxy has set up, don't even think about connecting the wire to it. You did disconnect the wire, didn't you? It takes about 24 hours at above 65° for the epoxy to cure to its full strength. Now this repair will not be as strong as the original so be very careful putting the wire back on and be extra careful when you clean the inside rear window.

If the fuse is good and the terminals are attached to the glass correctly and it still doesn't work, then we have to look for a bad rear window defroster switch, rear window defroster timer or relay. You'll need a wiring diagram and a little experience in tracking this down.

Remove the rear window defroster switch and using your wiring diagram, determine which wire feeds into the switch and which wire feeds out to the defroster grid. If the switch only has two wires, this will be easy. Jump the two wires and if the grid starts working, you know you have a bad switch. If you have no power going to the switch, and the fuse is good, then there is a break in the wire between the fuse box and the switch.

If the switch is good, then we need to look at the relay and timer. Some cars combine the relay and timer into one unit so keep this in mind when checking your car. Now the rear window defroster relay has two sides, the coil side that activates the switch and the switch side that provides the electrical connection. Generally the coil side has two light wires and the switch side has two heavier wires. Most manufacturers bury this relay in the dash or some have the good sense to put it in a relay box for easy access. I hope yours is easy to get to.

If the coil side of the relay has continuity and there is power going to it, the relay and power supply is good. If there is no power then you have a break in the wire from the switch to the relay. If you jumper the two heavier wires, and check the wiring diagram to be sure they are for the rear window defroster, and the defroster works, you have a bad relay. If not, and you have power coming in, the relay is bad. If there is no power going to this side of the relay, there is a break in the wire from the power supply to the relay.

If there is another, exactly the same, relay in the relay box, you can swap the relays and see if the rear window defroster now works. If it does, go over to the dealer and get another relay.

If the rear window defroster switch, timer and relay are good, then we have a break in the wire going to the rear window. Now keep in mind that the rear window defroster is on a ten or 15-minute timer so you have that much time to find where the break is. If the timer shuts off the power while you are checking the wiring, you'll be chasing wild geese.

Rear window defrosters draw a lot of current, up to 20 amps depending on the car. Most cars put the rear window defroster on a 10 or 15-minute timer so it shuts itself off. This is for a couple of reasons. First off the rear window will overheat if left on too long. If you accidentally turn it on in the summer and go on a long trip the heat of the sun and the heat from the grid could cause the window to shatter and, at the very least, destroy the rubber window seal.

The other reason is to lighten the electrical load. In the winter when you have the headlights on, the heater on high, windshield wipers going and the rear window defroster on, you will be placing a high demand on the electrical system. Possibly more than the alternator can supply. So by shutting off the rear window defroster after a period of time, you will lighten the electrical load.

If everything is working but you have a few lines of the grid not working, chances are those particular lines don't work because there are breaks in them. So, we have to find these breaks. If you have a SUV or mini-van, the grid is easy to check. If you have a car you'll need to crawl into the back seat in a position the human body was not designed to be in. And if you want to see something really funny, watch a 250 pound, 6'3" man try to fit in the back seat of a small import.

If you look from the inside out, you may see the breaks in the lines against the sky. Just start at one end and work your way to the other looking very carefully. If you can't see any breaks you will need to get out your test light or voltmeter.

You need to keep in mind that when you check the defroster grid the voltage will decrease as you get closer to the negative side. In a line that has a break, the voltage will be the same until you get to the break and then disappear.

First get a couple of pieces of aluminum foil. Wrap one end around the probes of your voltmeter or test light and leave the other end flat. This will let you check the grid without risk of further damage. I prefer to use a test light; I think it's easier. If you use a voltmeter the idea is the same. I clip the test light to a good ground and pressing the aluminum foil gently on the grid I watch the light. As you slide it from the positive side of the rear window defroster grid to the negative side, the light should grow dimmer as you go. If it stays bright then you are on a line with a break. As soon as the light goes out, you found the break. I have someone draw a circle on the outside of the glass with a marker so I don't lose this break while looking for others.

Once you find the breaks, repairing them is simple. You can buy a rear window defroster repair kit at most auto parts stores. Clean the area with alcohol. Don't use window cleaner since it might leave wax or silicone behind. Also, don't use paper towels with color or designs on it. The kit will have a self-stick template and a small bottle of conductive paint and brush. If the template is not the right size if the break is longer than the template, you can use masking tape to mask the lines.

Once the area is clean and masked off, shake, the bottle well, and simply paint across the line stroking along the line and not against it. Do all the breaks and then come back in a few minutes and give each break a second coat. Let it sit for 24 hours to allow the conductive paint to thoroughly dry and set.

Once you have all the breaks repaired, go back and check the rest of the lines you repaired since there may be other breaks a little further down. There's no rule that says only one break per line.

• REPLACING A SAGGING HEADLINER

If the fabric portion of the cover has simply come loose from its foam backing, there are twist-in pins that may serve as a temporary fix if the problem isn't already too severe, but these merely ease the symptom without fixing the problem. They may also cause damage to the headliner shell.

The best solution is to replace the entire headliner cover -- a relatively expensive proposition if you have it done professionally. Headliner material and replacement kits are available, however, if you should want to undertake this repair yourself. Since there are different grades and thickness of headliner material, be certain that you select good-quality material.

Also, since these attach by means of a spray adhesive, use only an automotive-upholstery adhesive that is specially made for this particular application. You can purchase the cover material separately, or you can purchase the materials for this installation as a kit. Replacing a headliner cover can be a somewhat tedious job, and it requires some care and precision. Take your time and follow any instructions that come with the kit and the adhesive in order to get a professional appearance.

You will need:

1. Replacement headliner-cover material
2. Headliner spray-glue or automotive-upholstery
3. Adhesive
4. Cordless drill with screwdriver attachments
5. Socket wrench
6. Panel tool
7. Utility knife
8. Protective mask

The headliner is held in place by the upper trim panels. Remove the screws holding the trim in place, then use a panel tool to loosen and remove the trim pieces, being careful not to scuff them. You may be able to simply loosen the trim panels enough to remove the headliner without removing the trim completely. You may also need to loosen and remove the shoulder harness.

For easier access and a less cramped workspace, it may be helpful to remove the front seats before taking out the old headliner. This will make it easier to maneuver the old headliner and replacement during the installation. The seats are held in place by bolts underneath the bench portion. Use a ratchet wrench to remove the bolts and carefully remove the seats.

Remove any objects attached to the headliner such as handles, dome lights, visors or overhead consoles.

Tip: When removing the console, dome light, etc., use a zip-lock bag to collect any screws or mounting hardware so that they don't get lost.

Once the headliner is unsecured, carefully remove it from the vehicle. The headliner is made up of a shell and a fabric covering that has a foam backing. When replacing the cover, you'll want to select one of high quality. Check the construction and thickness of the foam backing since there are different grades available.

Tip: Cut a swatch of your old headliner cover to take with you when you go to purchase a replacement. This will help ensure that you get a proper color match.

With the headliner removed from the vehicle, carefully peel away the cover fabric from the headliner shell. You may be able peel it away in one piece, but if it's deteriorated, the cloth may separate from the foam backing, leaving bits of foam attached to the headliner. If this happens, brush or scrape away any foam residue. Be careful not to puncture or damage the headliner or loosen its plastic coating. (Newer headliners are constructed of fiberboard, but older ones may be of cardboard and can be easily damaged.)

Once the headliner is clean and free of any debris, spray adhesive evenly over the bottom surface of the headliner as well as the back of the headliner cover.

Important: Wear a protective mask when applying spray adhesive. Read and follow any instructions and safety precautions on the spray-adhesive container. There are differences among brands of adhesive, and the vapors from these adhesives may be toxic.

Place the new headliner cover over the headliner, ensuring good contact over the entire area and in any contours, and smooth it out evenly. Trim off any excess material from around the sides, but leave a small amount of overhang that can be tucked around the edges of the headliner shell.

Use a utility knife to cut any openings or slits to accommodate any necessary wiring for dome lights, console, etc.