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There are certainly a lot of cars without front plates. But, after the second ticket, I put the front plate on my GX.
One of the tickets was on I-45, ~10 miles south of Dallas. The other - in Houston.
Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter that many in my area don't run front plates if I end up anywhere else in Texas. That's a good point. I have to travel to Houston soon and I might have bad luck over there. When my plates come, I guess I'll be drilling some holes then. It'll be a sad day. It looks so clean without one.
Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter that many in my area don't run front plates if I end up anywhere else in Texas. That's a good point. I have to travel to Houston soon and I might have bad luck over there. When my plates come, I guess I'll be drilling some holes then. It'll be a sad day. It looks so clean without one.
Fabricate a bracket and go through the grille instead of drilling.
Texas law requires a front license plate.
The salesmen is full of unicorn poop wishful thinking and giving bad advice, surprise, surprise...
Most law enforcement won't pull someone over exclusively for a missing front license plate (much like to measure the legality of window tint) but once stopped for any other reason, it's fair game to be cited for it and also your vehicle will not pass a TX state inspection at any reputable shop without a front license plate in TX.
Texas law requires a front license plate.
The salesmen is full of unicorn poop wishful thinking and giving bad advice, surprise, surprise...
Most law enforcement won't pull someone over exclusively for a missing front license plate (much like to measure the legality of window tint) but once stopped for any other reason, it's fair game to be cited for it and also your vehicle will not pass a TX state inspection at any reputable shop without a front license plate in TX.
black zip ties are also a cheap, nonpermanent front plate mounting option.
That's probably the most elegant no-drill solution I've seen yet. However, I've been giving this a lot of thought. I think I will go ahead and drill to mount my front plates when my license plates come for three reasons:
1. Since this is a keeper vehicle that I plan to drive until the wheels fall off, I will one day make this into a dedicated family adventure vehicle. I will likely chop the bumper off and install a high clearance one on it.
2. The vibrations caused by simply driving, even on the flattest of roads, will still create small scratches and I'll know they're there. Perhaps it doesn't matter that there will be scratches to the top part or the back part of the mesh, but the mount will rub on at least two of the "F" on the front. (I think the grille consists of upside down, right-side up, upside down-backwards, and backwards "F" --I can't help but think Lexus used design cues for this grille inspired by/derived from the "F", which you can see below.)
3. I won't have to spend $70+, which can come loose or fall off.
So, I'm going to enjoy the no-plates while it's still "legal" for me. When the registration comes, I'll just have to cross my fingers I don't drill holes too big. Haha.
BTW: Doesn't Lexus provide a front plate holder as a separate item anymore? Our 15 came with the optional front plate holder in a separate box just like the hitch.
BTW: Doesn't Lexus provide a front plate holder as a separate item anymore? Our 15 came with the optional front plate holder in a separate box just like the hitch.
They still provide it. I have it along with the hitch/ball in a box like you said. My concern is that in my area, cops don't care about front plates but I do go to Houston and San Antonio once in a while.
It is certainly not worth stressing yourself over it. However, the worst that can happen that law enforcement tells you to put it on.
We lived in he greater Houston area for over a decade, the SUV I was driving and then the GX never had a front plate. Still neither one has here in the Jungles of Oregon and no ones seems to care. If I got stopped and told to put it on I would.
It is certainly not worth stressing yourself over it. However, the worst that can happen that law enforcement tells you to put it on.
We lived in he greater Houston area for over a decade, the SUV I was driving and then the GX never had a front plate. Still neither one has here in the Jungles of Oregon and no ones seems to care. If I got stopped and told to put it on I would.
I just don't want to end up with a $200 ticket for nothing, but on the other hand, I really don't like the look of a front plate on such a grille. The grille is just not meant to have any ornament hanging off of it besides the floating Lexus logo. I just don't know if a cop in a bad mood catches me. I don't ever drive like a maniac and when I do speed, it's never over 10mph over the limit and only on highways where everyone else are speeding way over 10mph. In other words, I'm doing it because it's safer that way for me. I'm also on cruise control maybe 85% of the time. The only time I've gotten pulled over here in Texas was in my own subdivision because I was going the speed limit in a school zone AFTER the lower speed limit during school hours. I stood my ground and told the officer that it was already after the school hours and he just told me nicely to just drive slow anyway just in case there are still kids leaving school late.
We have a 2012 GX 460. The manual says to bring it to the dealer but to save on labor cost we went ahead and replaced the license plate "lamp light" on our own. It wasn't to hard just a pain to get to. I noticed there was no video of anyone doing it so I made one of my own It's it not prefect but it gets the job done for anyone looking to do the same thing.
We ordered the lamp light directly from a dealer, we could not find any after market ones. Look at different states for cost, we found on in FL that was $30 cheaper then where we live even with shipping. Let me know if you have any question!
EDIT: I dropped on my '12 and they are hardwired. Not easily replaced like Bob's video for '14+. If I lost one of these I would simply wire in something like this as assemblies are basically non-serviceable.
The video you shared is for a 2014, that is a different generation and set up. They must have realized it was a pain in the a## and changed it up. We tried to just remove from the back but were unable to do it because of the handle. The door handle is held on with 2 screws and bolts that could only be remove from the inside, and you have to remove the handle to remove the back. If not for the handle it would have worked that way.
Last edited by ljevaz; 05-11-22 at 03:37 PM.
Reason: new info about light
Just got a new 2023 GX. I want to remove the front license plate bracket but can’t figure out how to get it off! It appears to have a plate on the inside of the grille that may have to be removed? Has anyone done this? Thanks in advance for any help!
I suspect there is no back plate to hold the bracket. If ours are the same has shown in the video below, the bracket is mounted by couple of screws. And on the left and right side of the bracket there is a clip/tab that you may have to gently pry it to free the bracket.
10-27-21, 02:12 PM
It's it not prefect but it gets the job done for anyone looking to do the same thing.
