So basically I am selling a 2018 Camry to carvana today and they require the license plate to be removed. Last night I tried removing it and both steel screws are rusted tight. One screw the Philips head is starting to strip and the other screw turns 1/32 left and right but it feels more like the head it going to twist off the shaft. I sprayed them with pb blaster last night and have not done anything yet. I think my next step will be to use my impact screwdriver. What other tips do you have. The screws have been on since the car was new. Thanks
Need quick help on ideas to remove stuck license plate screws.
- Thread starter joegreen
- Start date
You be me to it. You could even use a dremel if needed, two screws or four?
You could always drill the head off and let the next owner worry about it. Wouldn't be the first time. I've found that on my old Kawasaki, once the head was removed, the screws themselves came out easily. That was steel into aluminum though.
If you have a dremel with a cutting wheel, I'd just cut the heads off the screws and let the dealer handle it. Once the plates off I'm pretty sure the entire mounting bracket car be removed, so you're necessarily screwing the next guy.
I had to drill out and retap a license plate bolt that rusted on the Pilot. It had a hex head that snapped off when I tried to remove it. I put the replacement (and the others) in with copious amounts of anti-seize after that.
Must be a Toyota thing because my Sequoia uses machine screws too, while most other cars use the plastic inserts and pointed screws.
Are these the front or rear?
If it's the rear trunk lid, you can access the other sides of the threaded insert from inside the trunk lid
With a drill bit if you desired
It's an M6x1.0 thread
I went through this having to drill/retap the threads on the tailgate of the xB
Or just snap them off, and let Carvana deal with it
If it's the rear trunk lid, you can access the other sides of the threaded insert from inside the trunk lid
With a drill bit if you desired
It's an M6x1.0 thread
I went through this having to drill/retap the threads on the tailgate of the xB
Or just snap them off, and let Carvana deal with it
Ran into this on the Corolla, not sure why Toyota runs license plate bolts into steel. First one I tried an extractor on which failed miserably. Second one I used a pair of vise-grips on and I was able to unscrew it.
First, I’m a fan of Kroil over PB’laster, which I finally threw in the trash…
Next, I would slot the screws with a dremel and use a big flat blade screwdriver.
Work them back and forth while applying Kroil. Worst case, they break and you get the plates off, but with a bit of working, and lots of Kroil, you should be able to get them out.
Replace with stainless, or leave the holes blank and let the next person decide how to mount their plates.
The screws on my Tundra lasted about two years before starting to rust. I got them out of there and went stainless, trying to prevent exactly what you’re experiencing.
Next, I would slot the screws with a dremel and use a big flat blade screwdriver.
Work them back and forth while applying Kroil. Worst case, they break and you get the plates off, but with a bit of working, and lots of Kroil, you should be able to get them out.
Replace with stainless, or leave the holes blank and let the next person decide how to mount their plates.
The screws on my Tundra lasted about two years before starting to rust. I got them out of there and went stainless, trying to prevent exactly what you’re experiencing.
Update: after letting the screws soak in pb overnight i hit the screws with my hand impact screwdriver. I then moved to my electric impact driver on medium power and they both eventually came out. On a side note the carvana sale went very well and was surprisingly easy.
