Removing the front headlining

[mitchelln]

Hi.

After removing all poppers, handles, visors, side trim clips and lights, I managed to very nearly get the front headlining out.
The only thing stopping it coming right out is the trim pieces held back by the top seat belt bolts. I expect these bolts to be done up to a "stupid tight, don't mess" torque or are tamper proof.

Frustrating as I got so close! The headlining dropped down from the front pretty far. Now, if like the rear roof section, the horrible old yellow foam had just been sitting on top of the lining, I would have just pulled it out and had enough room to stick on the sound proofing sheets. Unfortunately the horrible old yellow foam is glued to the roof panel. I'll only get it off if I get the headlining right out.

Has anyone managed to get the front headlining completely out without taking off the seat belt mount?

I also noticed some surface rust up there. I assume from condensation as there are no leaks? It's also just in front of where the rear air vents are. Should I be worried? I've applied rust converter.



By the way Mazda, who thought it was a good idea to fit the rear air vents just via sharp spring washers onto the wussy head lining material? The only thing holding my left hand vent on is wishful thinking!

[Markas]

Hi.

After removing all poppers, handles, visors, side trim clips and lights, I managed to very nearly get the front headlining out.
The only thing stopping it coming right out is the trim pieces held back by the top seat belt bolts. I expect these bolts to be done up to a "stupid tight, don't mess" torque or are tamper proof.

I haven't tried to remove any seatbelts from the Bongo (yet!) but have removed the top seat belt bolt on various vehicles in the past without too much trouble. They usually seem to rely on a tight pitch on the thread requiring lots of turns. If they are done up stupid tight, just get a breaker bar on them!

By the way Mazda, who thought it was a good idea to fit the rear air vents just via sharp spring washers onto the wussy head lining material? The only thing holding my left hand vent on is wishful thinking!

At least that makes them easy to remove, you're not left hunting around for fittings and clips

[mitchelln]

Thanks for the info. I'll try a little force...
Two bolts short of a disassembly - story of my life

The trouble with my vent is the sharp clips have ripped through the head lining at some point in the past. I'll have to Velcro it in or something.

[Markas]

Have had a look at those top seat belt mountings. To remove the trim panel behind them and free off the headlining it looks as if you'll need to remove the grab handles for the first row of passenger seats as well. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
I'm interested in this as I'm planning to add an led 'mood lighting' strip between the cab and hab parts of the van. I hope to tap into the power supply to the front courtesy lights which are powered off the leisure battery. A p.o. has removed a curtain track and left a load of screw holes at the rear of the cab headlining

[mitchelln]

Yes, I took off the grab handles, sun visors, courtesy light, A pillar trims, rear poppers at the join between front and back headliners and popped the top clips on the rear window trim panels for luck (turned out there were two more poppers hiding behind them). The front of the liner then flopped down quite far with aerial and various other mysterious PO wiring hanging down. It was a pretty impressive scene of destruction!

The only thing left was the B pillar panel held back by the seat belt bolts. I couldn't shift these, so after 30 mins of jiggling trying to edge the liner past I had to admit defeat. It was at this point the left hand rear vent fell out

I'll take pictures during the next attempt

My main concern other than the seat belt bolts was the rusty patches at the two seams.

I've also got a nasty set of PO screw holes in the front lining. They are in the middle on the flat section just behind the vents. On pictures I've seen some sort of information plate there? Or was the rear heating control originally mounted there?