Sir-Col

Hello all, just installed my front license plates, on our new 2016 RDX, only to find a horribly designed mounting bracket. It is flimsy, ill fitting, suffers with poor lower attachments, and only held in the top center with one screw. Any suggestion as too a way to better secure the front plates, or suggestions on an aftermarket bracket. Thanks in advance,
Sir-Col

Murrow

It's ridiculous that you have to essentially vandalize your bumper to mount a license plate. The automakers piss me off when they require you to DRILL into the bumper.

We're in Georgia, where no front tag is required. When we bought our RDX, the salesman said he had a black-on-black one that we were interested in. When we went to actually inspect it, turns out it was a dealer trade that had the bracket drilled on. That was an instant no-go for me. We ended up with a different color.

When I bought my 2003 CL, it had a metal bracket, and it mounted to screw posts that were UNDER the bumper. I was in Florida and didn't need a front tag, so I just unscrewed the bracket, removed it and the bumper was clean. If I ever needed it again, I could just screw it back in. THAT's the way it should be done!

Puma Jim

Wow! Not even checked that out on mine yet as I am still on temp tags and I have to have a front plate. Sure will be following this post

kfhughes

Can you post a photo of the holder, without the tag? Your description sounds like it's held on with only one screw, so I must be reading it wrong....

Sir-Col

Hi, it is held at the bottom by two compression pieces of plastic, a bracket extension that is squeezing the inner lip of the front lower bumper. At the top one small sheet metal screw through the license bracket, and into the bumper fascia. Additionally the bracket does not follow the contour of the front fascia very well......at best a poor design.
Sir-Col

Comfy

Yes, a photo would have been nicer.

kfhughes

Does it look like this?

Puma Jim

Now that is a salesman!

Sir-Col

Yes, that is it. And you can see the one screw in the top center..........the one exception is that mine is a 2016, but the same mounting etc.

kfhughes

I checked at Acura Express parts.com | acuraexpressparts.com and the 2015 and 2016 front license plate brackets have different part numbers:

71145-TX4-A00 (for 2015)
71145-TX4-A50 (for 2016)

That makes sense to me because of the front bumper redesign. Maybe they used the 2015 one instead?

carbonTSEX

Yeah that center screw pissed me off when I went to remove the front plate and saw that. I was temped to take it in and complain. The best design was the Acura TSX and TL with the two screw mounts located underneath the top bumper by the grill. The license plate frame from there just floated and was sturdy enough. Only downside is it would rub the front bumper.