GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Greetings!I recently bought a 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT. I went to put the plates on after registering it and noticed that I could not remove the rear screws. One of them turns and moves in and out but will not come out of the hole. The other is completely stuck. I can't even get it to turn. The screw is starting to tear apart. I've tried using PB Blaster, WD40, and Liquid Wrench on them with no luck. Liquid Wrench seemed like it was almost going to work but neither of them are willing to budge. It seems like most of the chemicals are running straight down. Maybe it's not getting enough time to fully penetrate the rust? Would it be bad to rig up some small container that will hold the Liquid Wrench up against the bolt (for example, a film canister taped to the back for several minutes)?What are some options I have for getting my plate mounted? Right now I have it sitting in the back window but I'm paranoid about getting pulled over as a result.At this point, I wouldn't be opposed to a new mounting system being installed. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anything that seems suitable for the job. I'd much rather get the old screws out and replace them with a nicer set that won't rust as quickly but I'm not sure how I'd go about getting the old set out.I appreciate any advice that you've got. I've done some searching and most of the results suggest Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster, which doesn't seem to be working for me.

well you can open the hatch and pull off the huge plastic cover, its held by push pins. so it just pops out. then u should be able to see the license plate screws (the back side), you can try spraying PB there and try again, if the plastic is spinning then hold from the back and unscrew from the other side. good luck

Cool, thanks for the tip! I was going to try to pry that off but I couldn't figure out how to get it off without breaking anything.I went to Advance Auto Parts and asked about alternative mounting options and the guy said that I'd probably end up having to have it drilled out. That sounds like a lot of trouble to go through but if it's what it takes, I suppose it's all I can do. I'll definitely try opening up that panel and attacking it from the other side.Thanks!---I just got back there and saw how rusted the nuts were. I sprayed some Liquid Wrench on them but I'm not going to be able to try working on it until tomorrow. It's too cold, dark, and rainy out there right now.

I had a friend who had this happen to. He ended up drilling it out.

Quote, originally posted by LarryKingsShoes »I'd much rather get the old screws out and replace them with a nicer set that won't rust as quicklyOnce you get the old screws out, go to your local Walmart and grab a set of Bell stainless steel license plate fasteners (screws). I've had them on all my vehicles for years now and they absolutely do not rust. Very nice product and only a couple bucks.

Awesome. Those seem like exactly what I'd be looking for. Hopefully I can get the old ones off soon. I just want to get it all taken care of so I don't have to be so paranoid while driving.