Plastic license plate screw grommets

[Swordfish]

This probably will generate no responses, but I thought I'd ask it anyways. On the trunk lid there are 4 plastic screw grommets to hold the license plate. The lower 2 are inaccessible even after the lining has been pulled back. I was wanting to replace those 2 but cannot unseat them. The top 2 you can pinch out and pull out, but not the lower 2.

Just curious if anyone has replaced these or found a way to get them out.

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[Blacklude4]

Can you post a couple pictures?

 

[Swordfish]

I did not take these inside the car but on the back of the trunk there are 4 of theses that hold the screws that support the plate..they sit into 4 square openings in the metal trunk and what the screws goes into.


The top 2 you can punch out. The bottom 2 it does not appear so.

 

[latole]

Just push on the ears on the grommet and same time push grommet out .

It look a kind of regular grommet, but I never work on this Honda part.

 

[Ronin]

Following, I also need to remove the bottom grommet pieces but it looks like you would have to take apart the trunk and that layer that is blocking access is welded....

 

[Blacklude4]

Well those are nasty! (Disclaimer: do at your own risk!)

If you are replacing them then I personally would just drill them out. Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller then the body square hole...(and DON'T drill into the back side of your trunk lid) Most likely the clip will 'grab' your bit and try and pull the drill through (this happens fast). To help alleviate that you can start with a smaller bit and work your way up to help keep that from happening. Once the clip is drilled out use pliers to pinch and collapse the clip enough to pull out. If you don't hollow out to much of the clip it should come out in one piece.
Btw, just curious-why are you pulling these out?

 

[Swordfish]

Following, I also need to remove the bottom grommet pieces but it looks like you would have to take apart the trunk and that layer that is blocking access is welded....

Exactly. The lower cannot be removed or accessed

 

[Swordfish]

Well those are nasty! (Disclaimer: do at your own risk!)

If you are replacing them then I personally would just drill them out. Use a drill bit that is slightly smaller then the body square hole...(and DON'T drill into the back side of your trunk lid) Most likely the clip will 'grab' your bit and try and pull the drill through (this happens fast). To help alleviate that you can start with a smaller bit and work your way up to help keep that from happening. Once the clip is drilled out use pliers to pinch and collapse the clip enough to pull out. If you don't hollow out to much of the clip it should come out in one piece.
Btw, just curious-why are you pulling these out?

Hmmmm I'm not sure. I was thinking that. Another option is to cut the top then try and fish out the base after it falls in somewhere. I tried unbolting the latch although there is no additional space.

Pretty much it's impossible to take out without risking damage.




As far as why I want to replace them. In short this is a lousy design by Honda. The grommets will get trashed eventually and will not hold screws. They are cheap quality and eventually the plastic just disinergrates. That's fine however the lower cannot be accessed. Maybe Honda wants you to replace the entire trunk lid instead.

Worst case you can just use the top 2 and it'll still hold your plate but the lower ones are not able to be changed. Id personally rather have all 4. I don't care about the cost but I cannot physically access them.


Toyota embedded the threads for a bolt in the lid itself. Honda has cheap plastic grommets that get trashed.


FYI unless someone develops a good way to get these out you may want to limit the amount of screwing and unscrewing of your license plate to basically a minimum if you plan on keeping your car forever. These get shot and are a one way deal.


In the wise words of Family Guy "It's like throwing a hot dog down a hallway."

 

[Blacklude4]

Pretty much it's impossible to take out without risking damage.

I haven't had my inside trunk panel off to verify this and see exactly what you have to work with, and may be different between coupes/ sedans. Make sure there are no wires, structural seams etc in the way...
Requires modifying your trunk. Drill through the screw hole in clip and make a pilot hole through to the inside skin of trunk (with carpet panel off). Then from the inside use a small hole saw to enlarge hole just enough to get pliers onto the tabs from the back side. Use a magnet to get metal chips out and put some paint on the bare metal. Maybe tape over holes to keep out moisture when done. Should all be hidden once you put the grey carpet panel back on. Just an idea...

 

[Swordfish]

I haven't had my inside trunk panel off to verify this and see exactly what you have to work with, and may be different between coupes/ sedans. Make sure there are no wires, structural seams etc in the way...
Requires modifying your trunk. Drill through the screw hole in clip and make a pilot hole through to the inside skin of trunk (with carpet panel off). Then from the inside use a small hole saw to enlarge hole just enough to get pliers onto the tabs from the back side. Use a magnet to get metal chips out and put some paint on the bare metal. Maybe tape over holes to keep out moisture when done. Should all be hidden once you put the grey carpet panel back on. Just an idea...

I'll have to check again. The issue is the way the ears are on the grommets. They flex out. If you look at the photo I posted, you probably can tell the grommet is damaged. Originally I just tried forcefully tearing out the thing to see if it would come out. It's plastic anyways so tugging it against the sheet metal will not hurt anything however after gripping and trying to pull it out it wouldn't budge.

I did a test run on the upper one which I can easily unclip. I have some new ones in the mail already. I'll have to think about this one..............


Even running a drill bit in the center and progressively enlarging it, you still have the ears that stick out so you'll have a hollowed out plastic grommet after unless I suppose you angle afterwards and start working the sides.

 

[Ronin]

I just got them out. I used a flat head and wedged both sides and it should be able to pull out. First time took me 5 mins of wedging it out second time took me like 2 minutes once I got the feel of it. No need to remove the carpet!

 

[Swordfish]

I just got them out. I used a flat head and wedged both sides and it should be able to pull out. First time took me 5 mins of wedging it out second time took me like 2 minutes once I got the feel of it. No need to remove the carpet!

Thanks for the update, I will experiment with the other top one once the new ones come in. I was hoping to try and file for a Federal Government grant to study the issue further, but I'm glad you were able to remove them. Are they trashed when you took them out, or do they snap back in and are still good ?


For me, if I got them out like you, I'd just leave them out and order new ones myself.

 

[jks]

If you exert effort, that's global warming. Grant granted.

 

[Ronin]

The rubber seal is destroyed, but it would probably pop back in, I am not putting it back in though because I am wrapping the trunk!

 

[B0nez]

I realize this is an ancient thread so apologies for the necro-post, but does anyone have a part number or link for the plastic inserts? The stealership used some nasty bolts to attach the temp tag and it cut some goofy threads in the plastic, I'd like to put in some better looking bolts and have it thread correctly.

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