GX470 headliner removal - HELP!

[Mr Chuck Norris]

The sunroof was getting slower and slower in my GX, but I needed to open it to clean out the clogged sunroof drains... now it's stuck and I need to remove it to get it moving again. I'm in the process of removing the headliner: I have EVERYTHING removed except for the headliner itself (pillar covers, grab handles, weatherstrips, coat hooks, DVD bezel, front console, rear belt and lamp), but the headliner is stuck to the roof around the sunroof. There is a lip that goes over the front edge of the sunroof frame that I was able to carefully pry down but I cannot find anything else to release. It doesn't feel like the wire harness double-side tape is stuck, it's much more solid than that.

My truck is a 2007 GX470 with third row AC and rear seat entertainment. I have the full 2005 GX470 repair manual PDF, which says that the headliner should remove at this point. I figured this was one of the changes for an 07 so I coughed up the $20 for a TIS subscription, but the info is exactly the same as the 2005 manual.

I'm trying to find something else to release but no luck so far. Anyone else ran into this? THANK YOU!

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

So I remembered the Wifi Endoscope sitting on a shelf and crammed it above the headliner to see what I could see. I found these...

A bunch of commercial grade Velcro! So I worked my hand above the headliner so I could put force as close to each of the Velcro tabs and popped them off. The headliner is free! Now I need to figure out the wiring harness... I *think* there may be connectors under the dash to unplug it all. I really don't want to unstick it from the headliner if I don't have to.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Pics of it without the headliner? I’ve always wondered about pulling it down to soundproof the roof.

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

Pics of it without the headliner? I’ve always wondered about pulling it down to soundproof the roof.

I do, I'll get them uploaded tonight. While Toyota crammed things into everything nook and cranny possible the roof is surprisingly bare apart from the sunroof and rear DVD player.

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

That's everything that came out just to get the sunroof mechanism out. The roof is pretty bare inside.

Now the truck is all sad looking, in typical PNW fashion it's going to rain again.

And a tip for anyone who finds this thread: don't pull the yellow wiring harness off the headliner, unclip it from the chassis and unplug it from the fuse block then carefully snake it out. It's only another 15min or so of work and you won't have to re-tape it. You can see it still attached in the headliner pic a few pics up.

 

[sleepycruiser]

So it looks like the DVD player wires run to the DS A pillar?

 

[Mr Chuck Norris]

So it looks like the DVD player wires run to the DS A pillar?

Yep! ALL the wires for everything electronic that's on the roof goes down the DS A pillar in that yellow wire harness. Sunroof, DVD, LexusLink, Homelink, Mirror, rain sensor, and lights.

 

[sandcruiser]

I'm pretty nonplussed at needing to do this.... thanks for sharing your experience, I think it'll make the project less confusing.