So I just finished detailing my car...

[Phantobe]

& put on my plate grimmspeed plate re-locator kit. And I notice these two blemishes on the front bumper.









I haven't taken the car in for service yet. To me it looks like someone (the dealership?) started to maybe start drilling for the license plate. Ironic, right? Since I just installed the re-locator kit.

For all I know these blemishes were here from the start, from when I purchased the car.

Regardless, what do you think these blemishes are from? And how could I possibly fix them :S? I can't see these could have come to surface from hitting something (since I haven't). The fact that they're semi-circles makes me think it was a drill or screwdriver of some sort . Maybe possibly go after the dealer for some help? Ehh they bother me help haha...

[leoh007]

Those are there from the original license plate holder. The two blemishes are there because the dealer went too deep with the screws. I work for a dealer and have seen way too many FR-S's damaged because of their neglect. Go back and see what they can do for you

[fitcious]

i never realized the front black grill had the T symbols that are throughout the interior of the car..

[Phantobe]

Originally Posted by leoh007

Those are there from the original license plate holder. The two blemishes are there because the dealer went too deep with the screws. I work for a dealer and have seen way too many FR-S's damaged because of their neglect. Go back and see what they can do for you

Original license plate holder? Can you explain. Why are they drilling behind the bumper?

I want to be armed with knowledge for my visit.

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

The license plate mount gets screwed to the grill with sheet metal screws. There is, apparently, no specifically defined location for it, so it boils down to how observant the installer is. Unfortunately, it seems like this task is generally dumped on the least skilled technician in the service bay. I was at one Scion dealership and noticed that all of the FR-Ss had their plate mounts installed up high on the grill, so that the license plate bolts bottomed against the painted part of the bumper. This appears to be the case with your car. At a different dealership, the license plate mounts were installed lower on the grill, so that the plate mount bolts could only touch the black plastic of the grill. That's the dealership where I bought my car.

[Phantobe]

Originally Posted by FlamingRectumSyndrome

The license plate mount gets screwed to the grill with sheet metal screws. There is, apparently, no specifically defined location for it, so it boils down to how observant the installer is. Unfortunately, it seems like this task is generally dumped on the least skilled technician in the service bay. I was at one Scion dealership and noticed that all of the FR-Ss had their plate mounts installed up high on the grill, so that the license plate bolts bottomed against the painted part of the bumper. This appears to be the case with your car. At a different dealership, the license plate mounts were installed lower on the grill, so that the plate mount bolts could only touch the black plastic of the grill. That's the dealership where I bought my car.

Thanks for the explanation.

I'm gonna go pay them a visit today & see what they can do...

Autonation Toyota - Irvine if anyone is curious

Edit: Of course the service department is closed Sunday, so I'll have to be stopping by on Monday.

[Turbo95eg6]

You didn't notice that before the detail? I would've guessed someone backed into you.

[Phantobe]

Originally Posted by Turbo95eg6

You didn't notice that before the detail? I would've guessed someone backed into you.

I washed my car at night. Then used cleaner wax the following morning in dim lighting. Also the front bumper is generally covered in bug guts, so it more or less blended in.

I don't see how someone hitting me could leave a mark in such a manner. What the above posters said makes the most sense to me, it just confirmed my initial beliefs.

[NWFRS]

That's unfortunate. :-(

I hit a hardware store for a pair of large rubber grommets and stuffed them into the oval cut-outs in the back of my factory plate hanger. The rubber sits on the grille plastic and spaces the plate hanger a little more safely away from my vulnerable bumper. Now it takes quite a lot of pressure to send the plate hanger toward the bumper. I also swapped out those awful zinc plated bolts. Stainless cap-screws are like $.15c each.

[N1rve]

I don't know what I'm looking at.... It looks like they started to drill your bumper and didnt finish.

[drewbot]

I have to same indentation. This is caused by the way Toyota installed the plate first. The screws are too long, and they scrape the bumper by a tad.

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by drewbot

I have to same indentation. This is caused by the way Toyota installed the plate first. The screws are too long, and they scrape the bumper by a tad.

How is the plate installed if there are no holes? I dont understand. Someone please clarify.

[drewbot]

Originally Posted by N1rve

How is the plate installed if there are no holes? I dont understand. Someone please clarify.

The top two holes cause the indentation.

The bottom two holes are drilled into the black part of the grill. Take a look at your front license plate holder that came with your car

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Originally Posted by N1rve

How is the plate installed if there are no holes? I dont understand. Someone please clarify.

The plate bolts to the plate mount, which in turn is bolted to the black plastic grill. Depending on where the plate mount gets mounted, the license plate bolts may or may not hit the painted part of the bumper.