This is a REALLY simple and stupid question, but I've gone to two dealers and not gotten the answer. The front license plate bracket clearly has holes designed to accept a bolt to hold the license plate to the vehicle. What is that bolt, and where can I buy it? Seems like a simple question, right? Well one dealer gave me a look like I was speaking a foreign language, and the other one handed me "standard" self-threading bolts to screw into the bumper. Thanks in advance for helping with such a simple question. Chuck
The self tapping screw you got from second dealer is what they use to drill right into the front bumper to secure it. Sounds like you were a lucky one where they didn't do it for you. I relocated mine with a simple zip tie and covered the holes with screw plug. What did you do to ur Prius today???? | Page 91 | PriusChat
Assuming you still want to mount the plate. The plate bracket/holder is mounted to the vehicle with screw, something like this , without the square plastic nut. The plate itself is then mounted to the bracket/holder with a pair of bolts, something like this . I think your question is about mounting the plate to the bracket/holder, so I would go to an automotive store such as Autozone, Pepboys, O'Reilly (or the automotive department of Target or Walmart) to find a pair of "license plate bolts/fasteners". Since there are different tread paterns (I think our Prius uses the thin patern one), I would just bring the whole bracket/holder into the store and ask one of the store assistant. Make sure also you don't get the bolts that are too long, which will go and damage your bumper. These pair of bolts should be short enough to secure your plate to the bracket/holder without touching the bumper.
Amazingly Toyota wants you to just drill right into the plastic painted bumper cover and attach the license plate holder/bracket to the car that way. I find that repulsive. I want my car to be legal and have a front plate, but not the way Toyota plans it. There are severe companies that make front plate brackets to relocate the plate to a better location w/o damaging the front bumper. Look into those.
The bracket is attached through the bumper with M6 hex 10mm sheet metal very coarse thread sheet metal screws 12mm in length. The aluminum bumper reinforcing "box beam" is predrilled to receive them under the plastic bumper cover. The correct screws for fastening the license plate to the bumper bracket are M6x1.0 Phillips head machine screws. I'm NOT allowed to solicit sales, here, but I have a thousand of them in stainless steel. The ones supplied to the dealer are zinc plates steel, which will eventually rust. The same M6x1.0 screws screw into the captive nuts for the rear plate.
Do what the others did and relocate...if your state allows this. Sometimes....some states can be a bit peevish about what you do with THEIR plates. If you decide to move to, or sell your car in a less oppressive state you won't have two large holes bored into your front bumper.
My state does NOT require a front license plate. If it does, I'd make a holder that screws into the "tow hook" socket. Or, I'd use 3M VHT double stick tape to tape the plate to the bumper. I know that they do that in the U.K.
My front plate sits on the floor in the back I couldn't even tell you where my plate mount is as it was and never will be installed on my bumper. If you have to have a plate, I'd go with the suggestions above for mounting it without drilling any holes. Mike
I took the rear bolt into lowes and it screwed into a 1/4 x 28 hole. So I bought 2 bolts and went outside and tried to put bolt in. Not the right thread. I will have to go back to lowes and see if I can find the M6 x 1
I found for our winter cars that see salt, to use stainless bolts for the license plates so they won't rust Most vehicles up here have ugly rust stains running down their plates from regular steel hardware. A guy could polish the stainless fasteners like a mirror to dress 'em up a bit Mike
In the UK, with our wet and salty roads, plastic (nylon I believe) fasteners or nut and bolts are the norm, colour coded to match the number plates, white on the front and yellow on the back. I have never had one break or any other problem come to that and I have never heard of anybody else with any problem either. Halfords Halfords Number Plate Fixings (HFX106) Customer Ratings & Reviews - Top & Best Rated Products Perhaps there is an export potential here?
The white stuff works fine if you keep your car in the garage more often than on the road I used white plastic hardware on my other summer car. Mike
I would certainly like to get 4 of the M6 hex 10mm sheet metal stainless steel screws and washers, if you can tell me how to get them. Thanks
