Changing Fog Light Bulbs HELP!

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Hi guys,

I'm trying to change the light bulbs on my fog lights (I have a 2G) and two of the three screws holding the fog light housing together is stripped. The heads of these screws are too small to use a vice grip. Any suggestions on how I can get these off? Can I take it to some hardware shop and have them get these off somehow?

Thanks

[alanseijas]

You have to drill the heads off of the screws. Hopefully you will have enough of it left (after the housing is removed) to use vicegrips. If you can't, you must drill out the whole screw, and start with a new one.

[CleanGS97]

I too had this problem. I drilled out the bolts then the plate and housing for the fog lamp comes out freely. I took a cold chisel and broke off the nut that is welded to the back of the plate (there is only 1 bolt actually holding the foglamp in) and welded a new nut in there complete with a REAL metric bolt... Why Mitsu is so phillips screw-happy is beyond me.... especially on the outside of the car. But if you take care of it now there should only be 1 bolt/screw to remove to get the foglamp out in the future..

(just thought I would pass on my solution)
-Aaron

[IronPalm]

I'm not looking forward to this problem, though I KNOW i will ave to go through it. My dsm is full of stripped screws

[TechT]

Just some FYI.....Once you get them off...I used a BIG head Phillips screwdriver...Then I used some 10MM bolts in place...Just like the ones that bolt your Hood arm(the arm that holds you hood open).

[turbs]

try soaking all exposed screws in PB blaster for a couple days then use what TechT said the largest phillips head screw driver #1 I believe the smaller just round out the screws. the big driber has no point blunt tipped usually. grab with both hands twist fast and hard. this method broke mine free, just keep hitting them with the penetrant

[CrisMurfy]

There is an alternative to cutting off the head of the screw. I'm not sure exactly what the thing is called, but there is a thing you can buy. It's like a backwards screw. You connect it to your drill, and screw this backwards screw thing into the head of your stripped screw. This thing screws in backwards and catches onto the screw. You then put the drill in reverse and unscrew, and the backwards screw thing, unscrews the screw. Wow, I have no idea if that made any sence at all. The part is like a dollar. I use it all the time on my car. It's a good thing to have. Makes life a lot easier. I hope I just made sence.

[Stldave2]

Originally posted by CrisMurfy
There is an alternative to cutting off the head of the screw. I'm not sure exactly what the thing is called, but there is a thing you can buy. It's like a backwards screw. You connect it to your drill, and screw this backwards screw thing into the head of your stripped screw. This thing screws in backwards and catches onto the screw. You then put the drill in reverse and unscrew, and the backwards screw thing, unscrews the screw. Wow, I have no idea if that made any sence at all. The part is like a dollar. I use it all the time on my car. It's a good thing to have. Makes life a lot easier. I hope I just made sence.

A Bolt extractor? I had to use a few of those on my old exhaust.

Also you can try an impact screwdriver... a friend of mine has one for his honda cause their rotors are attached w/ screws. Basically an impact wrench with a philips in the end.