Sportwagen rear license plate frame

nsocwx

Active member
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Location
Omaha, NE
TDI
2015 Golf TDI Sportwagen S
I recently picked up a 2015 TDI Sportwagen as many others have over the past month or so. My hatch has a plastic bracket on it for holding the plate, but the dealer installed 4 oversize screws that were also too long and left a mark in the paint under each hole.

Does anyone know the correct screw size for this bracket? If that doesn't fit I'll probably just end up ordering a replacement one and doing it correctly. "There's always time to do it right the second time."

They also used those screws on the front plate bracket and mounted it about 1/4" low, but I can move those screws up and re-use them with no issue since it's sort of a big blank canvas up there.
 

Grigg3

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Location
Lexington, VA
TDI
05 Jetta wagon, 15 Golf wagon
Same here... dealer used only 2 screws about twice as long as necessary on the rear license plate and scratched the paint, now rusting. The screws are rusting pretty good too. I replaced them with short screws, need to order the right ones.

Not sure what VW wants you to use but these are what I will use, they're the right size, not to long, blunt point, and stainless steel.
McMaster Carr part number 92525A550
https://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/123/3006/=17k3pd7

Not sure about the front, might also work or might want longer.

Grigg
 

capt_slow

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
2015 GSW TDI SEL
Had the same problem last weekend when I took delivery. I was going to just take the existing screw to Home Depot and find one with matching threads, just blunt point and shorter. However, the part Grigg3 provided looks great.

From talking with several dealers, they just use whatever screws are available. I cant believe this is a common problem, or even a problem at all.

What are you folks doing to repair the damage?
 

nsocwx

Active member
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Location
Omaha, NE
TDI
2015 Golf TDI Sportwagen S
Same here... dealer used only 2 screws about twice as long as necessary on the rear license plate and scratched the paint, now rusting. The screws are rusting pretty good too. I replaced them with short screws, need to order the right ones.
Not sure what VW wants you to use but these are what I will use, they're the right size, not to long, blunt point, and stainless steel.
McMaster Carr part number 92525A550
https://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/123/3006/=17k3pd7
Not sure about the front, might also work or might want longer.
Grigg
Thanks for the 'Crack-master'Carr part number. That place already gets a lot of my money :eek:
I'll have to go harass my salesman until he hands over some touchup paint to prevent rust there. I already had to hassle them about having their detail job, if you can call it that, redone since there was still 1.5 years of dirt in several places around the car.

Had the same problem last weekend when I took delivery. I was going to just take the existing screw to Home Depot and find one with matching threads, just blunt point and shorter. However, the part Grigg3 provided looks great.
From talking with several dealers, they just use whatever screws are available. I cant believe this is a common problem, or even a problem at all.
What are you folks doing to repair the damage?
Sounds like your dealer was just about as competent as mine. They even over-filled the oil after changing it by about half a quart. I will likely put a good size blob of touchup paint in there after cleaning it with some brake cleaner and call it a day.
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
I recently picked up a 2015 TDI Sportwagen as many others have over the past month or so. My hatch has a plastic bracket on it for holding the plate, but the dealer installed 4 oversize screws that were also too long and left a mark in the paint under each hole.
Wow! It is amazing that the VW dealers haven't learned a thing. This same thing happened to me on my 2009 Sportwagen. This means that in 6 years they haven't figured out that the screws they use are too long. I actually made my dealer give me touch-up paint for free. The screws went through the paint all the way to bare metal.

Have Fun!

Don
 

capt_slow

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
2015 GSW TDI SEL
I will likely put a good size blob of touchup paint in there after cleaning it with some brake cleaner and call it a day.
I think I'm going to do the same and follow these instructions: https://www.ammonyc.com/detailing/paint-chip-touch-up/

Just need to source some touchup paint and clear coat. My car is at a detailer, getting opti-coated, so I'll need to ask them if I can touch it up now or in 3 years.

This rear license plate bracket is just a poor design. VW should have done one of two things:

  1. Design the liftgate with 4x threaded holes just as they did on the MKV Jetta trunklid
  2. Provide all the appropriate screws for the mounting bracket and license plate as BMW does for their cars
 
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LarBear

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Location
Billings, MT
TDI
2013 Jetta TDI DSG
The rear plate was no sweat on our 17 GSW All Track, four #10x1/2" stainless Phillips sheetmetal screws work a charm. The front is a pain in the rump though. Very careful drilling with a hand (not power) drill and an appropriate sized bit for #10 same size screws as the rear works without messing things up.

Since nothing is broken yet I got some stainless 6mmX1.00mm Allen button machine screws 10-12 mm long that I'll try with a good dose of blue Loctite. Being paranoid I figure that if someone is packing a set of metric Allen wrenches with them to steal my license plates they're welcome to them - maybe.

Ace Hardware or any other real hardware store should have either screw in stock.
 

Grigg3

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Location
Lexington, VA
TDI
05 Jetta wagon, 15 Golf wagon
From my measurements 1/2" is to long for the rear screws, unless you don't mind scratching the paint. Or perhaps you have a thick frame? I just have the plate, no frame.
 

Grigg3

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Location
Lexington, VA
TDI
05 Jetta wagon, 15 Golf wagon
Here are some pictures from my 2015 GSW "new" a couple weeks ago.

3/8" might be OK but a tad risky if any longer.
5/16" long screws would be the safe bet when used with a common plate (about 0.030" thick).

Bracket thickness, same all 4 locations.


Screws the dealer used.


The results.
 
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laminated

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Location
Canada
TDI
15 Sportwagen
So they are not threaded inserts in the trunk like prev generations,, That would allow rust to form in a minute if you used self tapping screws..
 

Grigg3

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2006
Location
Lexington, VA
TDI
05 Jetta wagon, 15 Golf wagon
There are 2 threaded inserts in the trunk lid (not shown above) that the plastic bracket attaches with 2 torx head machine screws. Nothing wrong with this part

The #10 sheet metal screws affix the plate to the plastic bracket. Here's where mistakes are made, long screws that scratch the paint.
 

capt_slow

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
2015 GSW TDI SEL
Couldnt find any matching screws at the hardware store. The shortest length they had was 5/8". Gave up and got myself a 100pk of 92525A550 from McMaster.
 

nsocwx

Active member
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Location
Omaha, NE
TDI
2015 Golf TDI Sportwagen S
Same, I'll use 8 total and then give the rest to anyone local. Maybe if I drop them off at the dealer it can prevent future failures on their part...not.

Thanks for all the information gents. Hopefully the #10 screws will still go in my bracket and I don't have to replace it.
 

deming

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Location
Illinois
TDI
(2) 2005 TDI Passat Wagons
Couldnt find any matching screws at the hardware store. The shortest length they had was 5/8". Gave up and got myself a 100pk of 92525A550 from McMaster.
Would you be willing to sell me 8 of those McMaster Car screws ?
 

capt_slow

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
2015 GSW TDI SEL
Would you be willing to sell me 8 of those McMaster Car screws ?
Sure. Just PM me. They should arrive tomorrow, so I'll try them out first and post back.

Just finished touching up those holes in my liftgate.

Driver-side hole before cleaning, showing some signs of corrosion


Same hole, now filled with base coat and wet-sanded


After application of clear coat, wet-sanded again, compound, and polish


This was a very quick and dirty job, since that spot would be covered by the license plate anyway. I just wanted to stop any rust from forming in that area. I'm going to let this cure for a day then apply a layer of sealant to finish it off.
 
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capt_slow

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Location
SoCal
TDI
2015 GSW TDI SEL
The McMaster-Carr 92525A550 screws fit perfectly!




It's a stark difference compared to the dealer-installed screw. I also added a few silicone stoppers on the back of the bracket to absorb any vibrations from closing the liftgate.



Thanks to everyone for the info!
 
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McSpiffy

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Oswego, IL
TDI
'16 Golf Sportwagen TSI SEL & '16 Golf TSI SE 4DR HB
Would you please provide a part number or hyperlink for the silicone stoppers you used? I'm attempting to "undo" the damage my dealership did on my 2016 GSW when they secured the rear plate . . . yup, they used sheet metal screws so now I have two divots revealing fresh metal on my rear hatch.
 

laminated

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Location
Canada
TDI
15 Sportwagen
I drilled and tapped a 1/4 coarse thread hole in the plastic and cut 4 screws to fit, need a 13/32 drill bit i think and a 1/4 NC tap
 
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Funguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Location
Front Range of Colorado
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagen dsg and 2015 Passat 6 M/T

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
i just some 1/8" 3-4 SS washers infront if the plate to give some room, yeah it may look lame but i had them on the shelf.
 

l_c

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2003
Location
San Jose, CA USA
TDI
Wrecked and gone: VW Jetta wagon 2002 silver TDI
( 2015 GSW )
The rear ( resin ) plate holder is ( VW P/N )
1KM 827 211B
In my case, the dealer drove in two upper screws that look to be the correct length .. but almost look machine threaded. Or, at least, they didn't seem obviously self tapping to me.
I'll add a photo, when I get a chance.
They held .. barely .. until I needed to remove what's there and put in my own license plate.
On one of them ( the screw receiving hole, in the resin plate ) I notice it's split, due to the initial screw driving. :(
I tried looking up a part number for the retaining screws. I wish we knew the specs of that originally intended, self tapping blunt ended screw, what the dealer is supposed to use.
 
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