Nasty screws and bolts

["aaron_t_graham" <aaron_t_graham@xxxx>]

Unfortunately, only 1 year after I had my windshield washer pump
replaced, it went out again. Well, at least I think it did. I can't
tell for sure, because the bolts that hold the windshield washer tray
up underneath the washer fluid reservoir have decided that they aren't
going to come out.

I can get three of the bolts out, but the rest of them (5) just sit in
place and spin. I could be wrong, but it looks to me like those bolts
are extremely hard to get to from the other side. This seems to be a
theme with my car lately, as I've had exactly the same problem with
the plastic fuel tank cover that goes underneath the spare tire, and
also with the screws in the plastic panel that covers the fuel filler
from inside the luggage compartment.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the one who replaced the washer pump last
time, so I suspect that too much force was used to tighten the bolts,
and the rivnuts simply gave way on the other side.

So what's the best option now? Cut the tray up into pieces so I can
get to the washer pump? Take the entire front end apart? Drill the
bolts and then replace them with...? This should have been a 20
minute job...

Aaron
#1506