# Sudden odd noise

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** avalon, toyota\
**Created:** [March 9, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786 "2010-03-09T02:58:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RyanKalamazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d6d6ee/32.png) [@RyanKalamazoo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RyanKalamazoo)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786/1 "2010-03-09T02:58:47Z")

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This morning my '96 Avalon started making an odd metallic groaning noise when I accelerate. It makes it whether I’m moving or in neutral, and it only makes it during acceleration - it doesn’t happen when I’m cruising at speed.  
  
  
  
 I checked the oil, and we’re still good there. The noise is irregular as in it doesn’t happen consistently when I accelerate. I can avoid it if I accelerate very slowly. It seems to be at a consistent pitch and volume no matter what speed I’m going.  
  
  
  
 Does anyone have any idea what this is? Or more importantly how much it will cost?

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**Author:** ![CTdiagnostician](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@CTdiagnostician](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CTdiagnostician)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786/2 "2010-03-09T06:00:24Z")

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I am going to take a shot in the dark that you have a bad heat shield on the exhaust.

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786/3 "2010-03-09T06:19:47Z")

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Agreed; likely the heat shield and these can often be repaired without parts replacement. Check with a muffler shop.

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**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sudden-odd-noise/45786/4 "2010-03-11T03:39:49Z")

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If the noise seems to be coming from under the hood, you may have a bad bearing in the alternator, idler pulley, A/C compressor, or anything else under there that’s turning with the engine. But if it seems to be coming from elsewhere, I’d agree with the heat shield diagnosis.