Just heard a very loud pop in the car.

you say the sound came from inside the car? were the windows open?

ok. post answered the window question. i ran over a juice box once a few years ago. it was pretty loud, but hard to mistake something like that as far as where the sound came from. even with the windows open, it was easy to tell it was something i ran over

 

Around this time of year in my area, we get a lot of acorns
bouncing off the roof. Very sharp and loud, but not enough to
damage. What sort of flora falls off trees in your area?
.
_H*

 

I thought about this thread after having a similar experience the other day. I was driving home after school and came to a stop in traffic on a steep hill, inclined upwards. As I was waiting for the light to turn green and traffic to move, I had my foot on the brake, then off the break for a few seconds before traffic moved enough so that I could put my foot on the acceleration and get moving. While my foot was off any pedal, and (I don't know much about cars) it was just the transmission being in 'drive' that was keeping the car from rolling backwards, I heard the exact sound you describe, though, I thought, "just not as loud." Things seem find; I've been a little hyper-vigilant, looking for any little noise or vibration that seems out of the norm, and have noticed some suspicious things but really, nothing that couldn't be explained by admitting to a little healthy paranoia. Really, I would have figured it was my imagination if I hadn't recalled this thread. Sounds like your issue was something totally different, nobody threw anything at my car, but it was weird to experience something so similar.

 

Tell grand-dad to talk more softly.



Sorry, I can't help myself sometimes.

 

I have had the same thing happen with my 2008 Prius. I'll be driving along and I'll hear a loud pop, like a rock just hit the side or something. This noise has happened 3 times from both sides of the car. At first. I thought a rock hit the car, but it keeps happening. No damage, no smells, everything else sees fine. No steering issues. Freaks me out though. Like you, I just want to know this is not a safety issue.???

 

I am certain I did not run over anything. Absoultely certain. And I am certain it is coming from the car. Like I said it has happened three times driving at about 40-45 miles per hour on rural roads. Very weird. It is a very loud pop.

 

hard to say, my '08 never did that. maybe a suspension issue? do you think you can duplicate it for the dealer?

 

Looks like the OP solved their mystery but I thought I would chime in with a similar experience. Same situation, VERY loud sharp pop within the car. Scared the shart out of me! It ended up being a cold plastic bottle of water that I had brought with me and I had drunk about half of it. I guess with the air inside warming up and expanding, it pushed out a little dent in the side. WAY louder than I would have ever expected from a cheap plastic bottle but has happened several times since. A few times in the house. Scares me every time!

 

I agree this has also happened to me. From a empty/half empty bottle water. It makes a loud snapping sound and can scare the crap out of you.

 

I used to carry 'canned air' for cleaning computers out, in the back of my Prius. It only takes one time that it explodes in the back seat before you rethink that plan.

 

I had a 2011 Prius Two. I heard a sound like that a couple of times with it. Once when I was sitting at a stop light. A very loud pop. I could find nothing. Never had any problems whatsoever with the car. A mystery to me.