Hey guys! So recently within the last week I've been hearing a strange popping-ish noise from inside of my 08 base TL. It's very faint and I can only hear it when there's no music on and the windows rolled up. I hear this noise when I first start accelerating or engage the accelerator (the first 10 to 15mph or say I'm cruising along at 45mph or so and I want to speed up.. that first 2 or 3 seconds I press the accelerator). I also hear the noise right before I'm about to come to a complete stop and sometimes right after the car shifts. I do not hear it when turning or going over bumps so that should be able to rule out some possibilities. It's not every time I do the things listed about do I hear the noise though. It's random but i have heard everyday for a couple days now. I did some research and originally thought maybe it was a bad wheel bearing, tie rod, or ball joint so I jack up the car and went to inspect these parts. I happened to rotate the tire back and fourth and I heard the exact noise I'm hearing from inside the car except it is louder since I'm outside of the car. Anyways, I'll post a link to video I took if it that I uploaded to YouTube cause I didn't know where else to upload it. After doing more research I believe it may be a bad steering damper or steering rack but I'm not sure. If anyone knows what the issue is I would love some input on what exactly is wrong and what I can expect to pay to have it repaired or replaced

 

https://youtu.be/Pn5sMyVQRRg

This is the link for the video I took and uploaded to YouTube. As a side note, the car is 2008 base TL with 98000 miles. Since hearing the noise there's no change in the steering or any driving aspects. The car drives just as good as when I bought it with 50k miles.

 

If the car is in park and you are rocking the wheel back and forth...the parking pawl inside the trans will make noise because you're tapping against it.

It clicks when the tire stops turning. Right?

Parking pawl. Which is normal.

**Edit** Just watched your video. Your car is just engaging the parking pawl. The noise in the video is normal..and any automatic car will make it whilst in park.

When you accelrate and hear this pop...is it a constant popping? Or just one noise as the car starts to move?

Are the wheels turned when this noise is happening?

 

Yes when the wheel stops turning it clicks but before it hits the wall you can hear a series of two or three popping or clicking noises... The same noises I hear from inside the car. I don't think the video caught those noises or maybe I should a new but go much slower when I rotate the wheel. To answer your first question, it is not a constant popping.. it's similar to what I just described. You'll hear a series of multiple (up to probably about 4 or 5) pops and then it'll go away until the next time I slightly engage the accelerator. For the second question, no. The wheels are not turned. I typically hear the noise as I pull out of my driveway or when I take off from stop lights. Maybe I'm paranoid but I don't recall ever hearing this noise until recently. Also, I'm fairly certain I need an alignment as the car has pulled slightly more to the right than what it should and I have to hold the steering wheel a couple degrees to the left to keep her going straight.