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license plate front bracket ?

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Old Aug 29, 2019 | 06:47 PM
  #1  
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Default license plate front bracket ?

can someone help me with info on how to attached a front license plate bracker to the 2016 ES350 it does not look like there are nany hole son the front of the vehicle
i am going to need to buy one and install it but how doe sit attach does it just clip onto the grill or something ?
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Old Aug 30, 2019 | 12:42 PM
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120 views no one got anything about a license plate bracket lol
ok
i hope someone can help me to find this info out thanks
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Old Aug 30, 2019 | 01:05 PM
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Did you search?

https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/parts/...114-33380.html
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Old Aug 30, 2019 | 07:19 PM
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If you do a search you'll find numerous posts where others found ways to attach theirs...
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike728
i don't need info on where to buy the bracket i already know how to find it either OEM or aftermarket did you read the questions about how it attaches?
thats what im curious about if i have to drill into the bumper or does it attach to the grill or how to cause i don't see any holes or places that would normally have dimples to tap or drill out
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by bc6152
If you do a search you'll find numerous posts where others found ways to attach theirs...
the aftermarket once im seeing screw into the toe hook but i can't find the tow hook was it not on the ES in this year ? or is it hidden in the bumper i searched and guess i didnt type the right words in cause i couldn't find it i looked on youtube to see if anyone had any info on this.
also if we do have a toe hook is it going to possibly interfere with the front park and traffic sensors ?
i did a search but gues si didnt sear the correct words and then when i was looking for a toe hook i would google and
when i googled even if i set my seach to 2016 Lexus ES front license plate bracket how to or where to mount all i would come up with are aftermarktet that screw into the toe hook but showing me info on other vehicles other than the 2016 ES so it wasnt helping me doing the google search
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 11:44 AM
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i know that someone might ask have i looked in the owners manual and yes i can not find this answer anywhere
do we have a tow hook for the 2016 japan build ES 300h ?
if so where is it is it hidden in the grill somewhere ? cause its not in the bumper thats for sure. so im trying to find it and i have exsuast every combination of searching
and nothing works cant find it online cant find it on the car
can't even find a video of anyone showing where it might be if it did have it
but i see in my trunk i have a tow hook in the spare tire area for tahts for shure
and none of the searching for license plate info on the front is shwoing me any info ther than drilling a hole or using the tow hook one
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 01:15 PM
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Passenger side just next to the grill opening should be a square "panel" in the bumper. That panel pops out and there is a threaded hole behind it into which the tow hook screws. Pretty standard on most Toyota sedans going back for years (my old '03 Camry had it the same).



Last edited by Tootsall; Aug 31, 2019 at 01:18 PM.
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Tootsall
Passenger side just next to the grill opening should be a square "panel" in the bumper. That panel pops out and there is a threaded hole behind it into which the tow hook screws. Pretty standard on most Toyota sedans going back for years (my old '03 Camry had it the same).
I believe that the OP has a 2016 ES.

For the 2016-2018 ES, the tow hook is actually inside the grille and not in the bumper. It is on the passenger side of the grille, at the extreme side of the grille, and a little lower than the middle of the grille.

This is from page 480 of the 2017 ES manual. For a 2016 ES, the same should be in a similar, if not exactly the same, location in the manual.

1. Take out the towing eyelet. (→P. 492)
2. Remove the eyelet cover using a flathead
screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehicle
body as shown in the illustration.
3. Insert the towing eyelet into the hole
and tighten partially by hand.
4. Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench.
5. Securely attach cables or chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
6. Enter the vehicle being towed and start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the engine switch to IGNITION ON mode
7. Shift the shift lever to N and release the parking brake.
When the shift lever cannot be shifted: →P. 162


I've seen a few pictures of license plate brackets that were installed with tow hook mounts on the ES. To me, they looked very awkward, and the license plate looked out of place. I would have a strong preference for using a license plate mounting bracket that was designed to be placed in the center of the grille. If your car has not ever had a license plate mounted there, it will require drilling two small holes in the plastic between the grille slats. If you ever decide that you don't want/need a front license plate, you can buy plugs on-line that will fill the holes and make them virtually invisible.

Last edited by lesz; Aug 31, 2019 at 04:25 PM.
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Old Aug 31, 2019 | 03:33 PM
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OK, thanks Lesz I've seen it for so long on Toyota vehicles that I figured no difference within one generation of a particular model. Seems like a good way to trash a grill to me but...meh, not my worry!
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Old Sep 1, 2019 | 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by lesz
I believe that the OP has a 2016 ES.

For the 2016-2018 ES, the tow hook is actually inside the grille and not in the bumper. It is on the passenger side of the grille, at the extreme side of the grille, and a little lower than the middle of the grille.

This is from page 480 of the 2017 ES manual. For a 2016 ES, the same should be in a similar, if not exactly the same, location in the manual.

1. Take out the towing eyelet. (→P. 492)
2. Remove the eyelet cover using a flathead
screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehicle
body as shown in the illustration.
3. Insert the towing eyelet into the hole
and tighten partially by hand.
4. Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench.
5. Securely attach cables or chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
6. Enter the vehicle being towed and start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the engine switch to IGNITION ON mode
7. Shift the shift lever to N and release the parking brake.
When the shift lever cannot be shifted: →P. 162


I've seen a few pictures of license plate brackets that were installed with tow hook mounts on the ES. To me, they looked very awkward, and the license plate looked out of place. I would have a strong preference for using a license plate mounting bracket that was designed to be placed in the center of the grille. If your car has not ever had a license plate mounted there, it will require drilling two small holes in the plastic between the grille slats. If you ever decide that you don't want/need a front license plate, you can buy plugs on-line that will fill the holes and make them virtually invisible.
thank you for this info
yeah thats why i coulnd't find the tow hook area i knew it was in the grill somewhere but i just coulndt find it
and i was looking in the manual and didnt see it but with the help of the page numbers i did find it after looking for a 3rd time thank you
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Old Sep 1, 2019 | 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Tootsall
OK, thanks Lesz I've seen it for so long on Toyota vehicles that I figured no difference within one generation of a particular model. Seems like a good way to trash a grill to me but...meh, not my worry!

the front end the grill from 2013-2015- and 2016-2018 where changed the 2016 is start of the year with the new full spindle front bumper grill
thats what i was trying to explain why i coulndt find the tow hook i couldn't locate the part of the grill that popped out
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Old Sep 1, 2019 | 10:38 AM
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I scrolled through this post so not sure if its solved but thought I would add this anyways.
I bought a used 2016 ES with a license plate and IMO the front plate takes away from the car so took it off but you can see the holes which I believe were drilled.
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Old Sep 1, 2019 | 11:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Hasman69
I scrolled through this post so not sure if its solved but thought I would add this anyways.
I bought a used 2016 ES with a license plate and IMO the front plate takes away from the car so took it off but you can see the holes which I believe were drilled.
If you do a Google search for "bumper plugs", you will find multiple sources of plugs that will fill holes drilled in the bumper or, in this case, the grille, and, for just a few dollars, they will make the holes look "like they were never there".

As an aside, I know that the look of the grilles on the 2016-2018 ES have been a matter of controversy. I am in the group that prefers the smaller and more understated grille on the 2013-2015 ES to the grille on the 2016-2018 ES, and, while I'm sure that I'll be in the minority, I actually like the way that a front license plate mounted in the center of the grille on a 2016-2018 ES breaks up the large expanse of the grille and, to me, makes it look less ugly. And, since Lexus seems to be committed to make its grilles larger and, to me, uglier with the introduction of each new model, I also like the look of a front plate on the Generation 7 ES grille, which I think is even uglier than the grille on the 2016-2018 ES.

Last edited by lesz; Sep 2, 2019 at 05:21 AM.
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Old Sep 1, 2019 | 01:44 PM
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According to the CEO of Lexus America, the large spindle grill is not going anywhere anytime soon... So for those members that have a Lexus in states that require a front plate, I agree with Les that the center is the most appealing place to mount it... I also agree that the front of the 2013-15 cars had a much nicer look than the later models. Happily, Pennsylvania doesn't require a front plate... FWIW this same issue is a long standing complaint of Corvette owners as well... Looks bad with a front tag...
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