Hi,
I just bought a used KIA and I’m having the hardest time removing the license plate off of this thing. The bolt is pretty rusted and when I turn it it just turns the whole thing. Essentially the inside “shaft?” just rotates with the bolt itself.
Does anybody have any suggestions?
Are you talking about thr plate bracket because I don’t see a plate ?
Is that what it’s called? I didn’t include this picture because there is a limit to the amount of pictures I can put in a single post.
Either way I tried gripping it. As you can see from the stripping on that thing. I was told by a friend to try letting that thing soak in WD-40 or something and to try again.
That is not a proper plate holder. I would just take a hacksaw and cut the thing off and replace it .
Welcome to Car Talk… Try spraying some penetrating oil in the threaded hole (end of bolt) as well as the head of the bolt, give it some time and see if that helps, be carful clamping down on the “threaded shaft” as you can distort it and make it tighter on the bolt threads…
If you have access to an impact gun, try to tighten it up 1st then loosen it… Also tightening the bolt might break it off and then just through bolt it…
I think that is a factory style thread insert…
EDIT: rivet nut
Got it I’ll try that then. I was thinking of also cutting it but unfortunately it’s in a weird spot where I can’t really get a good angle at it. I’ll definitely try some WD-40 or PB blaster first.
I have no idea. The other bolt came off just fine. Who knows what history this car has at this point.
That looks like a rivet nut. It was crimped to the trunk panel when it was installed, but not tight enough and it is slipping.
Penetrating oil and a better set of pilers to grip the nut.
Below is a picture of what a rivet nut looks like.
It was smooth without the edges. The other bolt that I removed I didn’t have any problems with it. It didn’t fall off or anything.
Yes a Rivet nut, brain fart, thanks Nevada…
Thank you all for a quick response guys. I was expecting days not mere minutes for a response.
This is why a lot of manufacturers are using those square plastic “nuts” for the plate bracket. That prevents this corrosion problem. GM has been using these forever. Not sure why Kia uses these metal rivet nuts. Maybe there’s no corrosion in Korea!
More likely it’s cost. Even at 1 cent per nut that’s about $68,000 per year for Hyundai/Kia. Estimated for 1,700,000 sales in 2024 and 4 nuts per vehicle. Save a penny here and there and it adds up to a sizable profit.
Most vehicles only have 2 top nuts in back and not all have or require front plates and those are made into the plate brackets and not metal in general… Unless I am forgetting something… lol
They will manufacture the cars with two front nuts and two back since several states require two plates. Even at $34,000, that adds up quickly.
When they had steel bumpers maybe, but not all (or many/if any, trucks with real metal bumpers not included) come with front nuts already installed, you don’t remember Volvo’s new car and him asking about how to mount his plate bracket?? Heck you even mention this in your post number 6 & 17…
Don’t know the actual mechanics but some Pblaster on the assembly then a screwdriver under the bolt and a little hammering might snug the rivet nut enough to unscrew. If it is reversed from my thought pounding on the bolt may reset it.
Are you missing the point? Manufacturers use the item that meets requirements and cost the least. That’s what I said. It is not important to me that we get lost in details that are beside the point.
It would depend on where the license plate is mounted, the trunk lid, trunk panel or bumper.
Plastic gromets don’t seal well and may result in water entering the trunk if used on the trunk panel.
Metal nuts cost more than plastic gromets, I don’t think they are doing this to save on cost.
