[GM Kid]

I finally got the month and year tags for my car from the MVD last week and I put them on the car Friday. That's when I noticed something odd under the rear license plate (I don't need a front plate).

In Arizona, you don't get a new license plate when you buy a new car; you take the plate from your old car and transfer it. So when I was picking up my GTO at the dealer's, he took my old plate, placed it backward (numbers facing the car) in a lovely chrome frame, and attached the temporary plate to the backside of my license plate.

Until Friday, I hadn't unscrewed the frame and plate. When I did, I noticed a couple of little rectangular "pads"--raised areas of the plastic--near the bottom of the where the plate rested. I assume they're there to keep the plate from sitting directly on the paint. Anyway, there was some kind of thin, clear film over these two pads, kinda like Scotch tape.

I'm wondering if there originally were rubber pads on these raised areas? Or maybe the car came from the factory with something attached there--something that someone peeled off at some point.

 

[b_a_betterperson]

Yes, there are little grey foam pads that are supposed to be there. I Krazy Glued mine back on after knocking them off while washing.

I'm guessing that these have been placed on the car at the factory as some kind of noise prevention from the license plate. Used to have a Mustang -- and the plate rattled like hell every time you closed the trunk.

Instead of trying to get replacements from the dealer, I'd go to Home Depot and buy a package of vynil bumpers. You get 9 of them for like a 1.50.

 

[Buffalo]

When I put my plate on the rear, there were 4 rubber washers between the car and the plate. One of them came loose when I removed one of the screws. I assume they were original.

Randy

 

[GM Kid]

Yes, there are little grey foam pads that are supposed to be there. I Krazy Glued mine back on after knocking them off while washing.

That's weird. I wonder where mine went? Somewhere along the line, they must've gotten stuck to something and come off, leaving only the sticky backing.

I have to say, though, that even without the pads my license doesn't rattle when I close the trunk. The two screws at the top keep it nice and snug. But I like your suggestion about getting some replacement pads. Maybe I'll go shopping.

 

[Tom]

My friend had a day old escort Zx2 and the plate rattled. he didnt know why his new car was rattling. I went to the back and gently pulled the plate bottom. the little bend put it up against the plastic frame - vibration 1, and away from the trunk lid - vibration 2.

He thinks i am a mechanical genious for that. he sold it to his neighbor after about 75k trouble free miles.