The dealer secured my rear license plate with only two screws so that it 'flaps' at the bottom. When I went to add the other screws today (and a frame) I found that Ford only put two holes in to hold the plate! In place of the lower two there are a couple of sponge pads for it to flap against. Surely every state has four hole plates, why only two on the car? All my previous cars have had four.

Not a big deal, but the only reason I can fathom is the cost saving on the two little plastic widgets which can't be more than a nickel.

 

this is pretty typical of how license plates attach. My 2007 Honda civic hybrid, my wifes 2003 Toyota corolla, my friends 2003 civic hybrid... well every car I have access to is like this.

if you use the correct fasteners its not an issue.

as to the state of affairs at ford, well I have my opinion and its not very relevant so hopefully the above will help ease the frustration. I mean if toyota and honda are doing it its got to be okay, right?

 

Bend the plate outward slightly at the top along the length of the plate. When you bolt it down, the bottom will sit tightly against the pads.

 

my '04 Prius did the same thing... i took the plate off, bent the top few inches toward the back of the plate, put some thick rubber bumpers on the bottom inside of the plate and bolted it back on.

i used to hate it when it rattled even when i was slamming the hatch shut; now: blessed silence.

oh, and also remember: the extra two bumper pads may have a nickel worth of material, but the vendor will target 40% markup to sell it to the manufacturer, who will easily mark it up another 40% to sell it to the dealer for installation, who will tack on another 40% at least, to sell it to you (less tax, of course ].

i used that model back in the late 60s when costing out a capacitive-discharge ignition system. i couldn't figure out why dealers wanted like $120 (in 1969 dollars!) for something with about $25 in parts in it... the math works out pretty well.

 

I guess you guys are right and I've just been lucky with previous cars. I just did an unscientific survey in the parking lot at the supermarket and at least half the cars had only two bolts.

I added a frame to try and make it more rigid, but now it clanks even harder as I shut the hatch, guess I'll try the bending trick next. I still think two more bolt holes wouldn't hurt.

 

THere is another thread where someone put larger rubber bumpers in the holes to stop the rattle. I put some exterior weather stripping foam on the back of my plate at the bottom to stop the problem in my case. I left a large gap in the middle of the weather strip so water would have a way to drain from behind the plate. That stops the rattle pretty good in my case.

 

me, too.. i had a frame, but the added mass clanked worse when i closed the hatch on my Prius. i recommend the weatherstripping idea, too. i think that's one of the best ideas i've seen.

 

Lots of different - (good) - ideas have been offered on various threads of this forum for this issue. My solution:
Added a frame and two plastic nuts/bolts at the bottom to hold the frame and plate tightly together. Then I attached two self-adhesive, rectangular, teflon pads (the kind that go under furniture legs) to the back of the lowest portion of the plate. Not a peep since and I didn't have to attach anything to the paint.

 

Just so I was clear... the weatherstripping I was suggesting is only adhesive on one side and I stuck it to the back of the license plate.... Like you... no way I was going to stick it to the paint!!!