After looking at a 2000, we bought a 2003 with 76K.

Great car, great ride.

One problem: at idle and slow speeds a "ticking" sound can be heard behind/to the left of the steering column. The ticking sounds mechanical but it could also be plastic on plastic. When heard it is regular and uniform. It is also intermittent and moving the column up and down sometimes makes it stop.

Any ideas on what this is? Are there bearings in the column? Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Ken