Need Help! Metallic noise coming from front left wheel area. Not Brakes.

[STERLINGX]

Hi everyone,

I've been a member here for a very long time but rarely post. However, I need some expert advice regarding a strange, metallic grinding sound I'm hearing coming from the front left (I think) wheel area. Other than this sound the X5 is driving normally.

It seems to happen at low speeds between 10-15mph.
It seems to happen when I'm coasting with my foot off the throttle and stops when I accelerate.
It doesn't vary with brake application or steering input.
It does seem to cease just as I'm rolling to a stop at under 5mph.

I'm thinking torque converter/transmission, transfer case or axle/hub. My gut says it's likely the tranny or transfer case but I'm hoping I'm wrong.

I just noticed it for the first time last Friday but I was driving slowly down a strange street looking for an address with the drivers window open. Normally I would have the radio on and the window up given the cold temps at night so it may have been occurring longer than I realized.

I'm going to post a video clip I took this evening with my iPhone. I had to convert it to WMV and compress the heck out of it to come under the 1MB upload limit. The video quality is terrible but the audio is the main reason I uploaded it.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Bill

'04 BMW X5 3.0i
Auto, fully loaded, original owner.
78K easy miles.