Technical Unable to remove daytime running light cover

[t0neloc]

Hi.
Q: Are the two fixings that hold the DRL cover in place screws or bolts going into a captive nut?

The offside DRL bulb has blown but I'm unable to remove the cover as the two screws/bolts are seized up (nearside is in the same state).
The philips head slots are corroded and the cover is too flexible to get any pressure on to them.
I can't use mole grips as there's no lip on the screw heads.
All I can think of is to carefully cut the heads off and then remove the stub of whatever's left over. Knowing what's behind there would be helpful.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Panda IIs]

I think I drilled the head with a nicely sharp drill and some lube, the cover/arch liner deflects under the pressure applied by the drill but maintains the drilling force nicely. I think 4 or 5mm drill bit does the job as the head breaks off at the thread root nicely freeing the cover. If you don't lube the drill then the generated heat softens the plastic and everything just pushes through creating more problems.

If memory serves correctly its a, typically, corroded spire nut underneath - readily replaced from Halfords or eBay etc. I think Screwfix do a cheap line in carbide drill bits.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Too late to help you, but I always remove those covers annually and apply copper grease to the screw threads to prevent this happening. It’s the ‘not doing’ of these sorts of ‘preventative’ measures that puts me off dealer servicing. Same with the mating face of the wheel hubs when allow wheels are fitted - removed annually and a thin smear of copper grease to stop them ‘welding’ themselves to the hubs through traction between steel, alloy and winter salt)

 

[t0neloc]

Too late to help you, but I always remove those covers annually and apply copper grease to the screw threads to prevent this happening. It’s the ‘not doing’ of these sorts of ‘preventative’ measures that puts me off dealer servicing. Same with the mating face of the wheel hubs when allow wheels are fitted - removed annually and a thin smear of copper grease to stop them ‘welding’ themselves to the hubs through traction between steel, alloy and winter salt)

I agree about the preventative maintenance. I normally do all the minor servicing myself on older vehicles and include this type of thing but with this one it never occurred to me that the running lights would be hidden behind a panel using two mild steel bolts in the wettest plate on the vehicle. Nice one Fiat designers, would a hex head bolt have been too much to expect?
Thanks for the tip about the hubs. I've only got steelies on it but if I have to take the wheels off to drill these bolts out then I'll lube them up anyway.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Do check your bulb holder whilst you're (finally) in there - it's often the case that they have fried themselves because reason Fiat! (About twenty-nine quid IIRC) Ask me how I know this thing

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I agree about the preventative maintenance. I normally do all the minor servicing myself on older vehicles and include this type of thing but with this one it never occurred to me that the running lights would be hidden behind a panel using two mild steel bolts in the wettest plate on the vehicle. Nice one Fiat designers, would a hex head bolt have been too much to expect?
Thanks for the tip about the hubs. I've only got steelies on it but if I have to take the wheels off to drill these bolts out then I'll lube them up anyway.

Not the bolts themselves - they mustn’t be lubricated. But the mating face of the hub flange against the inner face of the (allot) wheels. Galvanic corrosion can make them stick fast.

Many cars have a similar access panel and many held by cross-head screws. Fiat are not alone there…