I just got rear ended (again!). I was hit on the rear driver corner, The damage appears to be to the bumper cover and a small dent on the quarter panel behind the bumper. My question is what is the vent behind the bumper for and does the flange of the vent duct sit flush with the quarter panel. Is it physically attached to a duct or is it a stand alone part? It looks like the dent causes a small gap at the top corner. Would this be an issue? Part of me wants to replace the bumper skin and fill the gap with silicone if necessary. The metal bumper and energy absorber look fine.
There are two vents at both rear fenders, and the purpose of them is to allow air out of the car when you slam a door with the windows up.
Additionally, they let air out of the interior of the car when windows are rolled up and the climate control is set to exterior air instead of recycle. I'll bet they also serve a vital function in equalizing pressure in the event of an airbag deployment.
