Remove front license plate panel/filler plate?
 

What is involved to replace the filler plate with a license plate bracket on the front of a 2012 A3? TIA

From the pics on ECS Tuning site, it appears to snap into place. To remove, you'll need access from behind the grille to undo the clips.

<a href="http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-A3-Quattro-2.0T/Exterior/Body/ES262966/#">2009+ front plate filler</a>


2008 and earlier are easier to install/remove. Held on with plastic tabs up top and couple of screws on the bottom.

The OP wants to go the other way.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-A3-Qua...ille/ES457290/

Thanks much. It also appears to me that access from the rear is necessary. Do you (or anyone else) know how to gain access? Does the upper portion of the grill have to be removed to get to the clips?

Thanks again.

Regardless of the direction he's going, either plate mounts the same way. The link I provided included an image of the backside of filler plate plate (w/clips)

Thanks for the link/pic. Do you know the easiest/quickest way to gain access to the clips? Is it by removing the upper portion of the grill, and if so, how?

TIA

My guess is the front bumper cover(w/grille) would have to come off. Hidden fastening points may look great, but it sucks when you need to access them.

Thanks. Hopefully someone who has done the job will chime in.

Front plate
 

any idea if those directions are still good for the 2011-12 years?

meh nevermind my last. From what i gather this thread was asking how to replace it with the filler. i want to remove it all together so its just the grill with no license holder or filler plate. If you were to remove the filler plate would it be a clean grill underneath?

underneath the filler it's not clean, it's euro style plate spot.
and btw the filler is held by couple screws that you see them looking up and rest clips. easy diy

Thank you EurosportAMG. Where are the screws that you mentioned (on a 2012A3)? Aare they behind the grill?

i have a 2011. As i recalled, for the filler there are no screws, just clips. I carefully yanked it out clip by clip, without any of them breaking off. Its to replace the rings that i had to open the top of the grill to unclip the audi rings. Here the result:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/attach...7&d=1331487431

What exactly did you do to change your rings? I found 3 bolts at the top but when I removed them it didn't appear that the grill was very loose. I, too, have a set of black rings I'd like to install but it looked like I needed to pull the entire bumper cover.

2011 A3:
 

http://www.jimellisaudiparts.com/ima.../646807000.jpg

From www.jimellisaudiparts.com

Order from the forum sponsor http://www.audiusaparts.com/(which also has a site like that) and is much cheaper.

-Tom

Thank you very much. It does indeed appear to be snapped in place! I just sent a note to AudiUSAParts.com. Thanks also for the referral.QUOTE=aTOMic*;24277091]http://www.jimellisaudiparts.com/ima.../646807000.jpg

From www.jimellisaudiparts.com

Order from the forum sponsor http://www.audiusaparts.com/(which also has a site like that) and is much cheaper.

-Tom[/QUOTE]

Besides the screws, i believe their are also clips that hold down the grill, on top that also need to be removed. Then carefully you pull the grill outwards just enough to stick your and in there and unclip the rings.

Thanks Ben for posting that diagram! That can be helpful!! Im looking to get a filler plate here soon

It wasn't me but I too appreciate the diagram.
Ben

2012 A3 licence and filler plates have no screws
 

The 2009-2012 A3 licence plate holder & filler plates have no screws, only snaps.

To remove my own license plate holder, I gently worked a screwdriver between the panel and the grille, then probed at the first snap on the far right of the panel. Once that was loose, I worked my way across the panel. Five minutes or less, mostly spent getting that first snap out. It takes force.

Here's a picture of the grille with the license plate holder removed...

http://postimg.org/image/6exioc725/

And a picture of the new filler plate installed...

http://postimg.org/image/3x0puruud/

Why does this thread have over 5000 views??

I'll take a wild guess that the viewers were curious about or interested in the thread tile. Which provoked you to open it?

I'm "subscribed" since I provided the parts diagram a few pages back, so I account for one new view every time a new post is posted.
It is an unusually high view count though. Is Audi really not providing the correct plate holder for new cars, or is it due to all the used Audis coming off lease and/or being sold to other states which cause buyers to need to change this thing?

Do you have a source and part number for the plate? Thanks.