GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

In my '09 Vibe, when I looked up under the driver side of the dash ( on a sunny day) I see daylight from the upper left corner. From the outside it would be at the intersection of the windshield, door, and the front hood. From under the dash, you can get your right hand and arm up into the spot where the light glows from. You can see and touch the steel body at that spot. You can see or feel a hole up there in the sheetmetal. This hole must be going into fender area. And BTW, you can also see into the engine compartment from the opened doors. I have been examining the car for where road noise can get into the interior. I hate the noise that has been getting louder and louder. Also, there is some light from the passenger side of the dashboard, but not as bright as the left. I may stuff a rag up there and see if it will dampen the road/enigine noises. Just want any comments first and also for someone to verify if you have light coming in as well.Thanks

I'll have a look...

This is where I see light coming from, on both sides. Dosen't appear to be coming from the outside but I'm not about to take the front quarter panel off to find out.

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In your other post about the glove box, can you see through the box opening at the entry of the light? ((Don't try to take it off again just for my sake. ))And yes, from under the place you circled is where light is coming from. I forgot to add that I placed a towel over the exterior area to try to block the light, but the light still comes in. (the driver's side). It is NOT from any of the air vent ports.Thanks for checking your dash and the picture. I took a few shots from under the dash at the light. Next time I'm going to fish a wire through the hole to see where it will come out.

There was too much stuff in the way on the right to see with the glove box out. But it was fairly clear by sticking your head down by the floor close to the right side. I used the towel method as well.

I am thinking that holes are there to let the air move when the doors are being closed or open.

Since except for one respondent to this post, I will add this additional update to this investigation of the light under the dash board. First, with the driver door CLOSED, the light is still up there. Second, There is no way that the light enters from below the wheel well. Where I can see a glow of light is veiwed from the engine compartment. Open the hood and look through the hole between the strut tower and the fender towards door hinges and you should see a faint glow of light. It should appear under the pillar.There must to be a hole there that lets light , air and engine noise in. The light from the engine compartment is indirect light from reflective light from the ground.The styrofoam block in the fender is not made to fit tight and there is an opening at the top that allows you to see into the engine compartment. Should this opening be there by design? That's what I would like to know?

My old 07 G5 & the G8 both have the styrafoam also,I havent looked for light tho. The weather strips around the doors should stop any water etc tho. Proably a cost saven design instead of haven that area filled with sheet metal as thay had b4. With the metal design tho, that would trap dirt,salt,etc & usually rot out the bottom of the fender. The chevy chevells were good 4 that. My 78 vette rotted out ,yes theres metal behind that fiberglass. That allowed water from the cowl drains to soak the rugs.

Quote, originally posted by Ivibe »Should this opening be there by design? That's what I would like to know?working at an assembly plant and knowing you can see light from the windsheild and a pillar area below the dash. yes I'm sure its there by design. Just my $.02

This past weekend, I plugged up the lighted area under the driver's side dashboard. I used a piece of one inch thick by six by eight inch soft foam rubber. (the type used for seat cushions) I can easily get my hand and arm right up in there to place it in into the cavity. For now, I can not get into the passenger's side. due to all the wiring and plastic ducts in the way. However, I think I can push thinner foam pads through the small spaces with a wooden stick.I beleive that these two openings are allowing alot of road and engine noise come through into the interior. I would like to hear from any Vibe/Matrix expert to explain why there are such holes up there ...at the top corner ends of the firewall?It seems to me that the road noise has been dampened somewhat by doing just one side.But now that the outside tempenature fell below 50 degrees, I am getting that driver door rattle again, like I did earlier in the year. I have yet to pull the door panel off to find the cause. I think it must be the plastic clip fasteners.

I'm bringing this post back up to ask again if anyone has looked up under their dash to see daylight coming in from the top corners. I see that 290+ people have viewed this post but not much confirmed if that is the case (or not) with your Vibe. Any year would be okay. I have a 2009.Also a rattling sound from the driver door (at shoulder line) has come back when the outside temp. drops. Anyone hear the sound (with the window closed and the radio and blower off?Thanks

Ivibe,Is water or something getting in the vehicle?

Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »Ivibe,Is water or something getting in the vehicle?No. The light seems to come from upper back of the fender where the window pillar meet. You get the light with the door closed as well, so it is not because of the open door. I might add that it is a lot of light such that you can see the wiring and things without the need of a flashlight. The passenger side has much less light and I can not get my hand up there.

About this light coming from underneath the dash. I found the source of where the daylight comes from. I placed a work light on the floor to light up the underside of the dashboard during the night. I concluded that no light is get through the firewall or fenders. The light is seen from the corner hair line slits where the dash board plastic meets the glass windshield and also along the window pillar plastic. Very hard to see the light through the windshield, but that where you will see it as per the way I set it up.

Well, if you ever have those parts of the dash apart, weatherstrip away!

No, there no reason to weatherstrip, but I did stuff form up in the hole up under the dash. It's a large opening that you can get your hand into.I would like to sound proof the interior, Just want some peace and quiet.