I have been searching through the forums with no luck in finding any information about removing the headliner in a cobalt ss/sc. i have found plenty of info on removing it in the base model cobalts. There is no information regarding vehicles with side curtain airbags. I am hoping to remove my A pillars and C pillars as well as the headliner to recover them with black fabric. however I am concerned about setting off an airbag or messing them up period. On a side not does anyone know how to remove the plastic trim pieces? I cant find where they clip and im afraid of breaking the plastic. If anyone has any info that is helpful, please post or pm me, thanks guys.

-Michael

 

okay, heres what you got to do. i was tought this procedure at my trade school. for the a and c pillars, you would want to get a interior removal tool. what this is a prong ended, metal handle that you put behind the trim pieces, and you pry on it slightly, releasing the pressure clipped clips that hold on that interio trim piece. your best bet is to feel around to get a knowledge of where the clips are. the closer you are to the clip, they better. (these clips you cant see, they are on the under side of the interior trim pieces, and snap into the unibody by pressure)

to remove the headliner with the air bags, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, and after the car is disconnected, the air bags have a capacitor that hold enough energy to deploy the air bags (in case of accident) for 3-5 minutes. I would disconnect the battery and wait 10 minutes just to be safe. once the battery is disconnected and the elapsed time has passed, your good to go and the air bags wont deploy.

http://www.autotoys.com/pics/doorpan...tooldeluxe.jpg ...that link is what a interior trim removal tool looks like. the pronged end goes around the pressure clips, and when you apply pressure it breaks the clip loose without breaking in, allowing it to come out

 

The headliner is held in with velcro and all the plastic pieces hold it up in place .So all plastic coming in contact with the headliner must be removed.

1) Remove the assist handles.
2) Remove the sunshades.
3) Remove the sunshade retainer.
4) Remove the A pillar trim panels.
5) Remove the coat hooks.
6) Remove the upper B or lock pillar trim .

 

thanks, the airbags were my main concern because i really dont want one of those to go off, ive done interior swaps before on subarus but the plastics they use are much better quality than the ones in the cobalt so breaking or cracking the plastic was a concern as well. thanks for the link to the tool.