When I'm building up to highway speeds and stepping on the gas hard I hear a loud "ka-pop" sound coming from the left front under the hood near the wheel well at random times and random places,uphill,down hill,straight road makes no difference.Seems to happen soon after starting the car like with in first 10 miles of driving. It's loud enough for all my passengers to hear. Say I'm doing 25 mph and slam it to 60mph about 1,600 rpm to 3,000 or 4,000 rpm it will sound like something just snapped then the car takes off at my desired speed. Sometimes if I do a quick gas tap it will happen too. It has about 88,656 miles on it,5AT with VSA on,had it since 2008 and the sound started about a year ago.

It happens in the summer and winter at random so if the dealer can't reproduce it they can't help. I have a cold air intake that may be the culprit because it sometimes sounds like that's where it's coming from but I have it bolted down in the wheel well,wrapped in dynomat around that area and zip tied just to be safe(not a single broken zip tie). No check engine lights ever.Battery is nice and tight also.

I can shake the intake really hard and never come close to the sound I hear. I do have a MDX spacer which I know hits sometimes.I can tell by the paint chip spot under the hood and where it meets up with a bolt on the manifold and the hood closes fine. Dought it would be that due to how loud it is.

The dealer replaced both motor mounts under warranty 2 months ago due to a chirping sound I kept hearing but the pop remains. A friend and I shook the intake manifold,revved the engine and saw no unusual movement on the mounts after I heard the pop again. If I blew another motor mount I would think it would "pop" everytime I drove hard. Double checked all under hood wiring and nothing is loose. Wheels,brakes,and steering components look good even though I've replaced the power steering pump twice. I have never done a coolant exchange or transmission flush either.

I'm trying to experiment at what speeds and situations I can get it to reproduce each time so I can take it to the dealer but am unable to reproduce the sound on demand. Wondering if any one else has this issue or can give any advice?

 

cv joint?

 

its the axel, i have the same issue right now.

 

i took it in to acura they got the sound to reproduce by putting it on the alignment rack and moving it that short distance. they also attached a stethoscope to the axle hub to get a better listen.

 

If the mounts are new.. definitely driveshaft / cv related.

 

I have this same issue but only in the morning when first accelerating at the first stoplight and when reversing, turning the wheel and then accelerating

 

fix it.. soon.

 

I had my tires rotated and they did not see anything.I'll need to get a second or third opinion.
1. What is the worst that will happen if I keep ignoring this?
2. If I take it to the dealer what can I do or have them look for specifically to either re-produce or diagnose the sound?

 

Haven't heard it in about a month now. Is it possible it fixed it's self?

 

I just had the same issue this morning doing like 30 and hitting the gas to get onto a highway entrance and I hear a pop. By that time I was doing about 80 and when I got to my class I got under the car to see if an axle possibly popped out but it doesn't look like it (ill have a better look when I come home later today) I Just had my axles and motor mounts replaced recently so I know it can't be that. I do believe that my tranny mounts are shot. I'm going to replace them soon and see if I hear the noise again. It could possible that its the tranny mounts that are making that noise check to see if they are leaking.