CarNutTO

My front licence plate cover cracked going through a car wash, and when I went to remove the bolts to take the cover off, one of the bolts literally cracked in half, leaving half the bolt in the bumper cover, still screwed into the thread inside the bumper cover. Apparently, the dealership didn't use stainless steel bolts, so they are all rusted.

Does anyone have any idea how I can remove the broken bolt so that I can put my front licence plate back on. I tried using needle nose pliers to turn the bolt, but it wouldn't budge and I can't seem to access the bolt from the engine compartment.

Thanks!

ericok

I answered this somewhere but: You have to remove the bumper cover. Behind the bumper cover there is a small metal plate that the license plate screws go into. You'll need a new plate from the dealer. Don't use stainless steel screws to put the license plate back on use plastic. If you insist on stainless make sure you use anti-seize compound. I've used stainless and they're stiff to get out - but, at least, they don't break (or rust).

Lil4X

You might furst try soaking the offending assembly in penetrating oil and tapping it with a punch to break up the rust that has caused the bolt to seize.. Then carefully drill a small hole in the shank of the screw and insert an EZ-out or similar tool to back the remaning screw out of the hole. It's a delicate process, but it might be easier than removing that bumper cover.

Craftsman calls it a screw-out: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=00952157000
If memory serves, sometimes these are available as single tools or small kits. Good Luck!

CarNutTO

Thanks for the advice. I tried spraying the bolt with WD-40, but this didn't seem to make a difference. I had thought about drilling a small hole in the bolt and then using a screw-out/screw extractor, but the problem is that the plate behind the bumper cover isn't fixed - it moves slightly from side to side. Plus, I can get a pretty decent grip on the bolt with needle nosed pliers, and it still won't budge, so I'm thinking its rusted in there pretty good.

I can't believe I need to remove the front bumper cover - it's little things like this that drive me crazy and which I thought Lexus was supposed to be above.

Maybe I'll just throw the front plate and the broken bolt in the back, and just show it to any kindly police officer that may pull me over - "sorry, sir. i was just on my way to the dealer to get it fixed".

ericok

I've actually had this same problem and have done this job so I'm speaking from experience. The backing plate that has the broken screw in it is not really attached to anything solid. The bolt (when it's tightened) just sandwiches the cover between the license and backing plate. So drilling a hole through the end of the broken bolt in order to start an ez-out is not going to be easy because the backing plate's going to move around. The bumper cover itself basically unbolts. There's a lot of bolts (17 total) and two are hidden (one up behind each wheel well liner) - but it unbolts. Probably a $150 job at the dealer.

CarNutTO

Any idea where I can find out how to remove the bumper cover myself (guidebook or diagram as to where the 17 bolts are located)?

ericok

If you're mechanically inclined, removing the bumper cover is an average job. The bumper cover is held on with a total of 17 bolts. Eight are on the underside, one each are hidden behind each wheel well cover (total two), seven hold the grille on (which also has to be removed). Except for the two "hidden" bolts which secure the top right and left corners of the cover, there's nothing particularly tricky about the job. Technically, you don't have to completely remove the bumper cover from the vehicle. Once all the bolts are removed, you can pull the cover clear far enough to reach behind with your hand to remove the backing plate. Using this technique, you only have to remove ONE hidden bolt. The other can be left in place - but don't pull the bumper cover out any farther than you have to. You'll have to unplug the side marker light. My Lexus dealer's labor rate is $90/hr so you can judge whether this is worth it. Any body shop should also be able to do this job in their sleep.

To get at the hidden bolts, you have to remove some of the bolts holding the wheel well cover to the lip of the wheel well. You can then peel back the wheel well cover and look up at the point where the bumper liner ends. You'll see a small hex head bolt holding the top corner of the bumper cover in place. Using a ratchet with an extension, you'll be able to remove the screw.

This web site: http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/side_markers.htm shows how to remove the wheel well liner under the heading of "side markers".

Look at the bumper cover and the location of the screws should be obvious. There is no description in the shop manual as to removing the cover.

CarNutTO

Thanks for the info. I think I'm just going to end up using super glue and double sided tape. Hopefully that will hold for about a year until I get rid of the car.