Hoo-rahhed by a plastic screw...

Well, I'm almost embarrassed to ask... (but here's a pro-tip for all you over-eagerly types: Not every literally little fastener needs to be King Kong tight!)

Went to pull the gauge cluster out of the '89 tonight, suspect that I may have a few burned out bulbs on the side cluster by the door. Bezel removal went smooth enough, but when I got to pulling the six screws that hold the gauge cluster in, Jeezless H. Chrysler of Highland Park Michigan, were they friggin' tight...

I was able to get 5 out of 6 out, but that last one just wouldn't budge. I used every tool and trick I could think of, while chowdering up the head. Tried not one, but two right angle screw-drivers. Neither worked. Tried attaching a pair of vice grips to the shaft of a screwdriver. Didn't work. Tried attaching the vice grips directly to the head of the screw. They popped off.

Finally, I gave up for the night and decided to try again later. Ideas? At this point, I'm thinking, a VERY light application of heat around the screw with one of those butane torches/heat guns/soldering iron combos will help soften up the plastic and break some crud loose without completely melting the plastic, but I'm open to other ideas. I don't want to just break that plastic tab off, but if that's what I got to do, I guess that's what I got to do. Jeez, and to think I used to tear these things apart for money...

Re: Hoo-rahhed by a plastic screw (Confirmed fix)

Alright, figured it out- used my little butane torch with the heat gun attachment and heated the plastic around the screw. Did that until I caught the faintest whiff of burning plastic and then put a 3/8" drive #2 Phillip's socket on a 12" extension and a ratchet on the screw. Pushed down on the head of the ratchet and slowly turned. Had to do that twice. Once I backed it out far enough, I put my needle-nose vice grips on the head of the screw and used those to back it out.

Just saw this. Sometimes tightening the other screws back down and taking the troublesome screw out first works.

Dremel tool with a cutting disk to cut the head off as a last resort. Then you remove the dash stuff and you tackle the screw remains with the plastic out of harms way.

I have had very good luck hammering the head of the screw so the Philips bit stays seated and grips again (if the base part is strong and will not be damaged), and they also make an impact tool with the Philips bit on the end, and you hammer the tool end with a hammer, that turns and torques the bit while it is hammered into the screw head slots, forcing it to break loose.