Rear license plate installed with wrong screws

[nayr14]

I took delivery of my Model 3 a couple weeks ago. Earlier this week I noticed that the rear license plate was loose (the screws around the plate had about 1/4in left to thread in.

I had time today to check it out and the screws (self taping coarse thread) wouldn't go in. I take them out and notice that the threads were gnarled and appeared to be a much finer thread. I took out a tap set and confirmed they are actually M5 threads...

I ran the tap through and threw in some M5's that I had sitting around. Luckily I didn't try to keep driving the existing screws in or I would have damaged by paint.

I don't want to schedule a service call for this ridiculous oversight but I'd like to have the screws that are designed for the plate (mine have a small head and barely hold it). Do you think they'd just ship me out a new mounting bracket or screws, or do I need to go through the motion of scheduling a service visit?

 

[destructure00]

Sucks the wrong ones were given to you, but I doubt it's worth time or effort to get Tesla give you the right ones. Your local hardware store should be able to get you going for a few cents each.


Did you get a front plate bracket loose in the frunk? If so, check to see if the screws are taped to the back of it. That's where mine were.

 

[Magnets!]

The self taping course thread sound exactly like what came with mine. They seem to work.

 

[VQTRVA]

I don't want to schedule a service call for this ridiculous oversight but I'd like to have the screws that are designed for the plate (mine have a small head and barely hold it). Do you think they'd just ship me out a new mounting bracket or screws, or do I need to go through the motion of scheduling a service visit?

IMine was delivered with a missing rear plate screw & it's bugging me.
So am just going to run over there 1 lunch time week & ask them to pull one out of the shop or off an inventory car.

Not sure how far the service center is out of your way but that might be an option for u.

 

[jkoya]

Mobile Service was called out twice for this issue. First time, I couldn't get one screw out and made an appointment at the SC, which was then switched by Tesla to mobile service. I was told the wrong screws were used (screws for Model S and not 3). I had to call them out a second time for the same issue and once they got the screw out, they replaced all the grommets. Second Mobile Tech told me a lot of front plate screws were incorrectly used for the rear (look similar, but different and stored in unmarked bags). Mobile tech also told me they get several calls for the rear license plate screws issue.

 

[Magnets!]

Anyone care to post a pic of what the proper screws look like? The screw bags attached to my front plate frame were labelled as I recall.
The ones that came with my car are black and appear to be self tapping course threads with a Philips head.

 

[mtapes]

And the stock screws look terrible on the chrome license plate frame. Should be silver color screws imo. Anyone find good looking ones that fit properly?

 

[destructure00]

And the stock screws look terrible on the chrome license plate frame. Should be silver color screws imo. Anyone find good looking ones that fit properly?

Any hardware store should be able to take care of this. Just take the black ones in and ask for the same thread size and pitch in a stainless screw. Shouldn't be more than a few cents per screw.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

This was a pain in the ass. I'm not sure about the new Model 3s, but when I got mine there were just four holes with plastic grommets in them. The grommets they used didn't match any industry standard ones and the screws they used just got stuck in them every single time I tried to mess with the plates. Ended up getting new grommets from the SC and then going to the hardware store to by some machine screws to use instead of the ones they gave me.

 

[nayr14]

I went ahead and purchased a bag of 50 M5 8mm Stainless Steel wide hex head bolts from Grainger. I'll confirm they work and take a photo of the threads in mine. If anyone else needs some I can probably mail them to you.

 

[mrau]

I added some black screw covers from Amazon. Worked great with the factory license plate screws.

They have chrome ones as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...sin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=tmc064-20

https://www.amazon.com/Cruiser-Acce...EC6GV2F9BTB&psc=1&refRID=18A50W8F8EC6GV2F9BTB

 

[tam-o-shanter]

Hmmm. Not gonna lie. I couldn't figure out those plastic tabs and nothing else came with the car. So had mobile service come out to install. Turns out I didn't have the right parts or the nice, shiny silver covers. He fixed it up nice and didn't make me feel bad for calling him out (plus my delivery was so abrupt in late December, I had a list of questions for him that he answered )

 

[mtapes]

@mrau Thanks for the links. I am getting the chrome ones.

 

[davidalai]

This was a pain in the ass. I'm not sure about the new Model 3s, but when I got mine there were just four holes with plastic grommets in them. The grommets they used didn't match any industry standard ones and the screws they used just got stuck in them every single time I tried to mess with the plates. Ended up getting new grommets from the SC and then going to the hardware store to by some machine screws to use instead of the ones they gave me.

My rear license plate just fell off last night after I closed my Trunk. It surprised the heck out of me. I looked and saw that the plastic grommet or fastener call off the car. The entire license plate with frame was still attached to the plastic grommet/fastener but it wouldn't snap back into square slot on the car. I set an appointment to Tesla SC to fix this. HOPEFULLY they just send a mobile service person to come fix it and not have me go all the way to a SC just for the rear license plate issue.

 

[nayr14]

Ok, so I got the bolts. The one on the left was the bolt that the SC used, the one of the left is the correct bolt thread/size.

If you want me to ship you four bolts or more for $3, PM me your shipping name/address and I'll send my PayPal. I'm sitting on 46 bolts right now. They'll ship USPS First Class package. I also have a Model 3 chrome license plate frame if someone is interested...

I purchased them from Grainger, they are stainless steel A2 bolts so they won't rust.

FABORY M5-0.80 x 8mm, Button, Socket Head Cap Screw, A2, Stainless Steel, Plain Finish, 50PK - 54FR37|M51028.050.0008 - Grainger

 

[lairdb]

Ok, so I got the bolts. The one on the left was the bolt that the SC used, the one of the left is the correct bolt thread/size.

The other left?

The officially correct part (BOLT,PN,PZ,M5-0.8x6,[88],G1009, Rear License Plate Screw, 1453796-00-A) is only 6mm long, but I shouldn't think 8mm would be any issue.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

The other left?

The officially correct part (BOLT,PN,PZ,M5-0.8x6,[88],G1009, Rear License Plate Screw, 1453796-00-A) is only 6mm long, but I shouldn't think 8mm would be any issue.

Think that depends which license plate mount you have. Do we know if the older ones that just have the grommets will be an issue?

My rear license plate just fell off last night after I closed my Trunk. It surprised the heck out of me. I looked and saw that the plastic grommet or fastener call off the car. The entire license plate with frame was still attached to the plastic grommet/fastener but it wouldn't snap back into square slot on the car. I set an appointment to Tesla SC to fix this. HOPEFULLY they just send a mobile service person to come fix it and not have me go all the way to a SC just for the rear license plate issue.

Should be able to send a mobile unit. I just went to the SC because both my home and work are restricted access garages.

 

[nayr14]

The other left?

The officially correct part (BOLT,PN,PZ,M5-0.8x6,[88],G1009, Rear License Plate Screw, 1453796-00-A) is only 6mm long, but I shouldn't think 8mm would be any issue.

Left = Original screw; Right = New screw

The 8mm doesn't protrude from the threads, I was using 10mm with washers temporarily.

 

[jkoya]

My rear license plate just fell off last night after I closed my Trunk.

Did this cause any paint damage ?

 

[davidalai]

Did this cause any paint damage ?

If you look closely you can see some scratches. Nothing major,

In doing some digging, it appears that Tesla has since improved the rear license plate mounting. I have no way of confirming this. But I have see some people posting pictures of a plastic plate that Tesla now installs so that there is a middle piece between the trunk and the actual license plate itself, which theoretically should help prevent scratching of the trunk paint.