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Warped (Rear) License Plate Screw Hole INQUIRY?

10K views 22 replies 5 participants last post by  Wanderlust 
#1 ·
ONE of the two available (rear) license plate screw holes securing my MICHIGAN license plate to the back of my 2009 Bali Blue Acura MDX seems to be warped- when I tighten the bolt with a phillips head screwdriver, the end of the bolt just spins and spins around (without actually securing/tightening the frame to the back of the car). :surprise:

Essentially my rear license plate is presently only being secured by ONE of the two available screws :crying2:

<center><img src="http://www.mdxers.org/gallery/500/thumbs/MAINhole1.jpg" width="70%" height="70%"></center>

Anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps try wrapping one of the screws/bolts in some 'plumbing teflon tape' and then proceed to tighten (into the defective screw hole)? :|

Are there plastic square inserts (for license plate screw holes) specific/compatible with our 2007-2013 Acura MDX's?....if YES, can anyone please provide a link to and/or the name of an actual, specific product/model #? :nerd:
 
#2 ·
I suppose there are a number of different solutions to this problem, but off the top of my head, a small toggle bolt or any type of wall anchor could wedge in there. Here is a generic metal toggle bolt and a plastic sliding toggle bolts, but the big box stores sell all kinds of other plastic and metal variations. Maybe head there and grab a couple to see what can work.

I also threw in a couple of other idea pictures... all of which you could find at a big box store like HD or Lowes.





 
#3 ·
Thanks delirium330!

Those are some good ideas!...I did call my local stealership and or course they recommended replacing the entire 'thread unit' for a mere couple hundred bucks...LOL.....not!

will continue to research and then post an update with the eventual resolution... :wink:
 
#5 ·
Thanks MD_X :29:

Ironically enough, I just dropped by my 2nd goto Acura stealership, and the nice parts guy gave me two (of what very much like the picture of the plastic white things at the Amazon link that you had referenced) that they use on 2007-2013 MDX's- for FREE!!!! (how ironic/shocking!!!!)...good thing is I should'nt have to worry about fitment- and I'm not even sure that the caulking will be necessary?...only reason I didn't test install it myself while at Acura, is b/c I didn't have a rubber mallet with me- will bring one to work tomorrow and give it a run in the (private employee) hospital parking garage :smile2:
 
#7 ·
Thanks again, I just ordered some silicone caulk from Amazon- should arrive tomorrow...

General Electric GE285 Aluminum and Metal Silicone II Caulk, 2.8-Ounce,Metallic Grey
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BP7Z48/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
<center><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41sVBtOi3lL.jpg" width="60%" height="60%"></center>
will apply it (small amount I suppose?) to the outside of the (white plastic) license plate fastener before I hammer it (via small rubber mallet) into the thread-defective-license plate bolt hole at the back of my 2009 MDX-

<center><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/314gk-FunBL.jpg"><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Y2YwEJYpL._SL1100_.jpg" width="35%" height="35%"></center>
<center><img src="https://www.nutsandbolts.com/images/TrussHeadMach-500.jpg" width="25%" height="25%"</center>

then after that's all said and done, I'll proceed to re-secure my rear license plate using a Philips head screwdriver and appropriately sized bolt- hopefully this will resolve the problem?! :nerd:
 
#8 ·
Those plastic inserts might want self-tapping screws. Worth checking. And if you want to be fancy about it, stainless steel or coated screws ( or bolts ) will resist staining your license plate with rust.

But you should consider squaring off that hole in the sheet metal to the proper size with a tin snips or dremel or you might make a mess when you start pounding. :surprise:
 
#9 ·
You Wanderlust are awesome :29:

Those plastic inserts might want self-tapping screws. Worth checking. And if you want to be fancy about it, stainless steel or coated screws ( or bolts ) will resist staining your license plate with rust.
I had to YouTube your suggestion, but it all makes sense to (a non-mechanically inclined imbecile like) me now! :wink:


Already have these shipped and on their way to me:

Stainless Steel Rust Resistant License Plate Frame Fasteners (M6x20 Self-tapping screws , Metalic)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FG5WQMS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ACCURP5LDW6Z8&psc=1
<center><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/714R1UsyZJL._SL1500_.jpg" width="30%" height="30%"></center>

But you should consider squaring off that hole in the sheet metal to the proper size with a tin snips or dremel or you might make a mess when you start pounding. :surprise:
I almost purchased a dremel just now, but will try to get by with either your 1st suggested tool (tin snip) and/or some needle nose pliers as used by the fine country bumpkin gentleman depicted in the video below (from about 2:20 to about 3:30 of the video)
<center><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31%2Bt4US5d8L.jpg" width="10%" height="10%"><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31RTXQXNB7L.jpg" width="30%" height="30%"></center>



Again- I greatly appreciated your detailed tips/suggestions! :29: (albeit, I never though in a million years that I'd spend this much money at Amazon within a 48 hour period just to get a single license plate screw to stick securely into the rear of my 2009 MDX?!!! :laugh: )

If this still doesn't work (by middle of next week) then I will wave the white flag, head STRAIGHT to the Acura stealership, whip out my purse wallet (i.e. get on all fours) and assume the position...while potentially spending a good part of next weekend selling a bunch of partially used tools/screws on eBay! :crying2:
 
#11 ·
A little late for this round, but if you ( still ) have an Ace Hardware nearby, they are a reliable source of small items like stainless steel screws/bolts sold singly ( as opposed to a lifetime supply multi-pack from the big "A" ).

And I'm not gonna tell you how to live your life, but you need a friend with a toolbox. And maybe a stash of beer or other preferred beverage to attract said friend upon demand. Take it from a confessed tool junkie: stocking a toolbox can seriously dilute the savings of DIY. :surprise:
 
#13 ·
definitely realize the importance of having the right tools- as well as learning to do things on your own, have a mechanical engineer relative who works for the one of the Big Three in the Detroit area, who probably has at least $60K worth of his various tools (large and gigantic) neatly organized throughout his multi-car garage, along with his own tool/bike workshop in his basement- I've been slowly building my puny tool collection over the years (was kidding previously- about potentially selling the tools if they don't solve my license plate screw problem :D ) but typically buy just about everything (except purses/shoes) from Amazon, in part due my typical near 60 hour work weeks :nerd:
 
#14 ·
UPDATE (7-18-17):

During my lunch at the work today (spent in Hospital parking garage)- I did not end up installing the white plastic license plate hole fastener....as I was about to do this it dawned on me that the license plate 'hole' is not 'warped at all'- I just realized that our 2007-2013 MDX's have these license plate screw 'HEX NUT's' that are attached to the body of the rear of our MDX's- it is these four available HEX NUTS that offer the actual screw 'tread' for which the license plate screws are rotated/drilled into (if that makes any sense?) and I've circled the (right top) hole on the bottom picture below that shows a MISSING HEX NUT...so ONE of the four available (2nd gen. MDX License Plate) HEX NUT's somehow separated from the body of the rear of my '09 MDX, thereby leaving just a hole with nothing for the license plate screw to grab onto- the missing hex nut, while broken off from car was still screwed onto the plate, residing immediately behind my black license plate frame..


today I tried glue-ing this seperated OEM (painted Bali Blue, to match the body of my MDX) license plate hex nut- back to the back of my MDX (just over the hole without one, circled in red below) and that was a disaster- so now I'm wondering if there's any way to get a new 'hex nut' that can be permanently affixed/welded to- around the license plate screw hole that's currently missing one? (I do realize that there's LOT of rust evident in the picture below, for some reason in real life it doesn't look that bad!....the license plate screws still easily/securely go into those three HEX NUTS that are still on the rear of my MDX)..... :(

Exucuse the pun, but am I screwed!?


<img src="http://www.mdxers.org/gallery/500/thumbs/MAINhole1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.mdxers.org/gallery/500/thumbs/Missing_Licsense_Plate_HEX_NUT.JPG">
 
#16 ·
Thanks buddy!- I have a goto body shop that installs my DRL's and as evidenced by our alternate, recent correspondence on the DRL thread, and lately I've been really, feeling the DRL (LED) itch again which may lead to me visiting that body shop again soon to potentially have them implement one more (this will be my 5th attempt overall at finding a reliable LED DRL for our 2nd gen MDX that won'r prematurely crap out!...lol) DRL install (once I find 'that' magical product)....while I'm there I'll DEFINITELY ask about the welding favor (just one hex nut :wink:)!
 
#20 ·
thanks- the concept sounds solid, however real life implementation for a gal who once took 6.5 hours to change out a pair of 2nd gen. MDX light bulbs to LED's (back in 2010) doesn't seem practical- I wouldn't even know where to begin on this one....:crying2:
 
#22 ·
My family (and friends) are for the most part all in the healthcare/attorney business....we're all, pretty much clueless when it comes to tinkering with tools- the siblings that I have who actually possess mechanical inclination, all happen to live on the West Coast :crying2:

I do have my goto bodyshop (and my wallet) here in suburban Detoilet...

Just got off the phone with an Acura stealership advisor (and their parts department)- and they've confirmed that these (painted, colored license plate 'hex nuts' affixed to the back of our 2nd gen MDX's just over each of the four license plate screw holes along the rear door of the 2nd gen MDX) are considered part of the body itself and are not sold separately...therefore I now know that outside of welding some kind of similarly sized hex nut over that particular, single ("hex nut-less") hole, the white plastic license plate fastener thingy may be my best option to re-facilitate the use of a license plate screw again into that hole :29:
 
#23 ·
There is another option that has been hitherto neglected. 3 bolts is sufficient to secure the license plate. Really. If the darn thing is rattling against the sadly vacant 4th nut site, a squirt of clear silicone sealant would probably cure it. If the result is cosmetically unappealing, a handsome selection of stickers may be found at any craft store or the virtual storefront of choice. Or this may be the ONLY valid excuse for a license plate frame. I'm as OCD as the next guy or gal, but there may be a point of diminishing returns on this particular project. Maybe another project would distract you from it? Works with my ADHD puppy. :grin:
 
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