My 2004 Accord Front License plate bracket leans forward. It appears to be the standard bracket that is attached at the bottom, but somehow is bending forward. It's done so the whole time I owned it - I suspect it might be from when the bumper was previously removed and repainted.

How do I fix it? Do I replace the bracket?
Screw it into the bumper - it's an 2004, and not in perfect condition, so I don't really mind the hole. If so, with what length/width screw?

 

Hard to tell by the pic's......not sure if you can find an Accord like yours in a bone yard that still has the from bumper or not?

To me, didn't look for instructions online, it looks like the bottom is mounted too far "into" the bumper.

 

Sorry about the pictures - not much light in the garage where I could take a picture. I bet I could find the front bumper from the bone yard - are you suggesting swapping bumpers? or bracket? The bracket is cheap enough to order new than the gas & time to a bone yard.

(The bumper was damaged ~5 years ago, and replaced by an insurance paid shop then. I haven't touched it.)

If I push on the top of the bracket I can push it into position, but I'm not sure whether it's the bottom of the bumper moving or the bracket flexing.

If the bracket is installed too far back, so I just remove and reinstall it?

 

Try reinstalling.

 

Will do (when kids are asleep). I'll post back and update.

 

As shown in the illustration, there are bumper slots where the clips nuts are to slide into.

 

It does not seem to be mounted too far in.

I removed and reinstalled. The clip nuts are in the slots, and the bracket appears to only makes contact with the bumper at the clip nuts.

I suspect there is too much give to the bumper or the wrong where the clip nuts are, and it's not supporting the weight of the bracket. Perhaps in the accident, the bracket bent the relevant part of the bumper, and that was never repaired. It is also possible the bracket is somehow the wrong angle where it meets the clip nuts, but I'd be surprised.

Any problems with putting a screw through the hole in the middle of the bracket into the bumper? If so, what kind?

Or should I just ignore it like I have for years, and leave my license plate looking like it is barely attached?

 

I just don't like putting a screw through the bumper - wife wants a "fancy" front plate on her '16 Pilot and I haven't installed the front plate holder yet because it is purely held in place with self tapping screws that go into the bumper - I live in a state where front tags are not required so it was never installed at the dealer and the parts/pieces are in the rear cargo area.

Anyway, one of the online dealerships does kind of show a screw going into that hole in the holder - it is listed as self tapping 6x16 (6mm dia x 16mm length).....93904-46220 is the pn.

 

Hmm. Seems like on all the diagrams and associated parts lists that number requires 4. Makes me think those are the screws that hold the license plate on.

Could it be that the bracket is from the wrong year? The part number for the bracket seems to only cover a few years/configurations, but many others have a similar setup.

 

I was just going with this online pic I found where your set up seems like #6 in the pic