Plastic license plate screws

[Chazbones]

The plastic screws holding the license plate cannot be unscrewed. How do I remove the screws? What should I replace them with?

2016 Carolla

[Paul john]

Lol used a power screwdriver. 
i smell spam…

[dannyboy413]

Do the screw heads have an indentation that will fit some sort of screwdriver? If not, they may just be caps fitted to the top of the screws - just a thought. The reason I ask is that my number plate fixings do not have any screwdriver indentations, although I have not checked if they are caps or not - and I not going to check, it is raining!

[Cyker]

Yeah they're right buggers to get out - It is possible, but they tend to expand and semi-weld themselves in. Esp. this time of year when it's hot, they are extremely difficult to remove as they tend to deform.

I think they're designed to be a massive PITA to remove to make it hard for people to steal the plate.

You can try a screwdriver at first but I find it just shears off the groove without turning the screw.

To get mine out I used a pair of pliers and had to twist it back and forth repeatedly until I finally got it out. One of them I twisted the head off by accident as it stretched, and had to use a screw extractor to carefully drill out the stub.

I do wonder in hindsight if I could spray it with a cold spray if that would have made it easier...!

I got replacement screws of the same material from the dealer. You can get a plate holder which makes the plate much easier to remove; These are popular in the USA, where they have to change their plate every year.

Wouldn't dream of fitting one on mine as my plate would almost certainly get stolen and cloned the next day  

[FROSTYBALLS]

The presumably the (US) licence plate is secured by four screws - the screw heads probably having plastic covers which need to be opened.

[Paul john]

1 hour ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

The presumably the (US) licence plate is secured by four screws - the screw heads probably having plastic covers which need to be opened.

Or its spam like the half dozen similar “non uk “ posts complaints this week

[FROSTYBALLS]

23 minutes ago, Paul john said:

Or its spam like the half dozen similar “non uk “ posts complaints this week

Historically we have always had a limited number of members from the Americas, and from mainland Europe. 

Members from outside the UK are just as welcome as members from the UK.

We have always had some members who will only post once or twice, whether they are UK or from elsewhere, and I suspect we always will. This doesn't necessarily mean that this type of post is spam.

Please return to the topic subject.