[salac123]

Sorry if this question is already answered somewhere on here. I did a quick search and didn't find anything and need to get this fixed by Wed as my son takes his driving test then.

I was removing my license plate on my 07 odyssey (old plated was trashed and new just arrived) yesterday and wouldn't you know it the bolt heads broke off. They were rather rusty so I thought that was the issue but then after lubricating the remaining stud and drilling and trying to get the stud out with my easy out I broke the easy out!!!!! I am thinking the Dealership put the bolts on with Locktite, they swapped trim during one of my maintenance calls removing the original "other dealer" trim.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't have much time to get this done as it is, let alone before wed. I may have to duct tape the plate on for the time being.

Thanks for any advice

I did see a post regarding the license plate garnish but it looks like that may not be what I need. This looks like someone scratched their chrome surround, but I haven't looked at it too much.

other post below

http://www.odyclub.com/forums/52-20...-here-removed-rear-license-plate-garnish.html

 

[salac123]

I took off the interior to the tailgate and can see the threads sticking through, not that that helps any. There is a ring around the threads- about the same size as the nut on the exterior- that looks similar to a knock out on an electrical box. Would this be designed to do exactly that for those unfortunate souls like myself??? It was suggested to me that the bolts may not have been put on with locktite, but instead with an air wrench and an overzealous mechanic. Maybe that caused this look.

I took a video to show some people I work with (I work at an automotive parts supplier, kinda helpful in cases like this) but no pics and it is too late (dark) now.

It was suggested that I drill a small hole outside of the lugs and then poprivet the plate on. It woud be fine for me, not the best when I sell the car. I don't want to do anything that will result in rust though

 

[John Clark]

Gee, you're not spamming your website, are you? Go find another forum to spam on.

 

[tkrotchko]

It reads like gibberish.

 

[pappy]

I also twisted one of the rusted license plate bolt off. I had to drill and tapped a M6 X1 hole on the nut to install my new plate. 190k and counting

 

[ohfive!]

Need to put a new plate on the '05 before month end and just tried to loosen the bolts this morning in preparation. Front ones loosed fine but sheared the bolt head clean off the right rear bolt so add me to the list!!

Funny I just realized I had the EXACT same problem with my Honda HS928 snow blower trying to adjust the scraper bar this year. Rusted bolt sheared right off, had to drill and use a new bolt in its place. So this deficient engineering would seem to be a theme in all Honda products.

This is my first and DEFINITELY LAST Honda vehicle. My '03 VW Passat has been WAY better in all regards - reliability, RUST (of which it has NONE unlike the Odyssey) and general maintenance. By comparison the '05 (which is two years NEWER) is literally falling apart. Both have been kept in the same garaged environment. My wife even said she never wanted another Honda and if she noticed then you know its a problem!

 

[John Clark]

So, you think VW holds up better than Honda as far as rust? Having worked underneath both of them for many years I would disagree.

Regardless, the license plate bolts are not installed at the factory by Honda. The dealer installs the license plates and probably uses whatever bolts they can pick up for the cheapest. If they ran out of the normal ones they probably sent the parts kid to the local parts store, or maybe even Lowe's/Home Depot to get a few. Replace them with a nice anodized bolt and you'll never have another issue. If you use a plain steel bolt it'll rust up there in a year.

 

[jkayca]

I did this to my Lexus earlier this year. Sheared both bolts off the rear plate.

 

[7monkeys]

Had this happen when I bought mine too. I took a center punch to the sheared off bolts and then drilled them out and tapped the holes. I had plenty 1/4-20 bolts so that's what I tapped the holes to. I used some anti-seize on the new bolts to hopefully prevent this from happening down the road. Thought of using brass bolts but didn't buy any yet. I would avoid stainless as they will eat holes in the plate itself... this happened to my old truck that I did that with. Odd thing was that the previous owner only had the van a year and the bolts still sheared off.

 

[tkrotchko]

Had this happen when I bought mine too. I took a center punch to the sheared off bolts and then drilled them out and tapped the holes

This happens a lot on older cars. And then you'll find that by using an "EZ Out" you completely understand the word "irony".

 

[7monkeys]

EZ out didn't work in my case. I applied as much force as I felt I could without risking damage to the van and they didn't come out, so I tapped the holes. But I agree, when they work, it's so much easier as the name implies.

 

[ohfive!]

Hit both bolts with PB Blaster every few hours for a day. Managed to coax the drivers side one out.

I drilled out the frozen bolt and tried using an EZ out (yeah, right!) I borrowed. Couldn't get enough torque on it and didn't want to risk breaking a borrowed tool so picked up a titanium set of screw extractors at HD last yesterday. I was able to get a ton more leverage with that, but I ended breaking the spot welded nut off the tailgate in the process. Stupid me, I even had the 13mm box wrench sitting right there to counter torque it and prevent that but just overlooked it in my enthusiasm. PB Blaster also dissolved the foam pad at the bottom on that side.

So now I need to know what to use to replace the threads on the right side. I think someone said one of those plastic/nylon kits would work if rounded off and a groove cut in it? I'm concerned that might be too loose and cause lots of rattling.

 

[blakeas]

this same thing happened to me - on my 09 ody with 145k miles. the rear license plate bolts just sheared right off! I put PB blaster on them twice and used vice grips but they wont budge. Anybody have a solution? I cant go around without a license plate??

 

[pappy]

Drill out sheared bolt and tap for a 1/4-20 bolt or go metric I think it's M6. Need to know the size of drill for the respective tap.

 

[nemiers]

Soon will be posts about how to open hood.

 

[blakeas]

OK - so here is what it look like. There is still some of the bolt sticking through. So I need to drill that down, then drill through for a bolt size 1/4-20? then tap it for 1/4-20?

 

[pappy]

Try some PB blaster to see if you can visegrip it out or heat the nut with a small propane flame torch and then vise grip it out while hot ...before drill and tap.

 

[blakeas]

Try some PB blaster to see if you can visegrip it out or heat the nut with a small propane flame torch and then vise grip it out while hot ...before drill and tap.

I have used PB Blaster for 2 days then vice grip and it will not turn.

 

[7monkeys]

I would avoid heat as it will likely blister the paint on the tailgate. Drill then out. If you have a center punch or nail set, use it to tap a dimple in the studs to help keep the drill from walking off center. For 1/4 - 20 bolts use a 13/64 or 7/32 drill. M6 will use a 5mm drill.

 

[blakeas]

Well, partial success. I drilled out both bolts, then tapped the right for 1/4-20. When I was tapping the left, I broke off the tap inside the hole! SO I am just going with one bolt plus superglue on the foam tabs at the bottom plus superglue on tape by the other hole where I broke off the tap.