Starlight Headliner Guide: How It Works, What It Costs and How It's Installed

A starlit roof used to be something you'd only see in very expensive luxury cars. Today a fibre optic starlight headliner can turn almost any car's ceiling into a night sky. Here's how it works, what's involved in installing one, and whether it's right for your car.

How a starlight headliner works

A starlight headliner uses fibre optic strands, thin flexible threads that carry light from one end to the other. One end of each strand is pushed through a tiny hole in the headliner (the fabric ceiling panel) and trimmed flush, so it looks like a pinpoint star. The other ends are gathered together above the headliner and connected to a small LED light source. The light source sets the colour and effects, and every strand glows.

Because the light source is hidden above the headliner, nothing on the ceiling is electrical or gets hot: you see only the points of light.

What our kit includes

The Underglow Starlight Headliner is a dual-colour system with over 1,000 fibres:

• 750 main fibres for the primary colour and 300 accent fibres for a second colour, for a layered, deeper-looking sky
• 80 effects, including fade, twinkle and meteor (shooting star)
• 16 million colours, from soft tones to bold modes
• Fits all vehicle interiors, with a 1-year warranty

It's $449 CAD.

What installation involves

This is the most involved install of anything we sell, so it's worth knowing what you're signing up for:

1. Remove the headliner. Trim panels, grab handles, visors, the dome light and sometimes pillar covers come off so the headliner can be lowered out of the car.
2. Plan the star pattern. Mark where the stars go. Random clusters look more natural than an even grid.
3. Poke and thread the fibres. Each fibre goes through its own small hole and is glued in place from the back.
4. Mount the light source above the headliner and gather the fibres into it.
5. Wire the power to a suitable 12V source.
6. Trim the fibres flush with the fabric and refit the headliner.

It's very doable for a patient DIYer with a free weekend, but many people have it done by an auto upholstery or car audio shop. Ask for a quote before you start. Cars with sunroofs, curtain airbags or complex headliners need extra care, and an experienced installer is a good idea.

Tips for the best night sky

• More stars near the middle, fewer at the edges looks more natural and keeps the effect where passengers look.
• Use the accent colour sparingly. A few hundred stars in a second colour adds depth without looking busy.
• Keep it soft while driving. Low brightness and slow effects look premium and won't distract the driver.
• Clean gently. Wipe the headliner with a dry microfibre cloth; avoid harsh chemicals that can dull the fibres.

Complete the interior

A starlight roof pairs beautifully with Interior Lighting, RGBIC ambient strips for the dash, doors and footwells, so the whole cabin glows together. Both can be added to the Ultimate Glow bundle with Underglow for a bundle price.