[EMC2]

So that minor popping noise progressed to a major banging/thudding noise yesterday. I had to take it in to the dealer for repairs. Turns out that the lugs in the front left wheels were loose. The dealer asked me if I had taken it in for some work recently. I replied that the last time I brought it in was in early May when they rotated the tires. So the dealer suspects that someone tried to steal the front wheel.
However, I have special lugs in my wheels that can only be taken out using a spline adapter. I suspect that the dealer did not tighten the lugs tight enough during the last visit and that they loosened up over time. And the dealer even charged me a fee ($105) for their diagnosis since it's a 'non warranty repair'!