Check your rear plate mounting holes for rust

[unclemat]

Well, that's what I found on the new to me 15 Cruiser - otherwise mint, rust free and like new. Gotta love folks using crappy carbon steel bolts to mount license plates, especially in rust belt.

By the way, it's a crappy design on Toyota's part. Others cars with hatches I have (05 Subaru Legacy, 13 CTS-V) have wither plastic or threaded metal inserts.

So my baseline detail included some unplanned paint job. First scraped the rust and flaking paint, treated with rust converter.

 

[KLF]

Stainless Allen-head cap screws with a dab of anti-sieze is my standard practice on all my vehicles.

 

[Mixelplix]

I also install a rubber washer on the back of the plate to prevent it from vibrating against the body.

 

[Battleship]

I've got a few big adhesive rubber blocks stuck to the gate itself so they don't rub the paint. Hate how my 80k flagship vehicle only has two holes and the plate rattles like a hoopty when you shut it.

(My humble contribution to 200 tech.)

 

[unclemat]

Aye on stainless steel bolts and rubber spacers. I actually attached them also to the bottom holes of the plate so it looks like it has four bolts. I will post a picture later.

 

[unclemat]

My solution for plate mounting.