Wow... I think it was time to replace it.
This seems like something I'm learning with my car at this stage. Once I got my car mechanically sound and started using it a lot, I listen to what it is telling me and if something starts to sound or feel unusual...generally it is. Trick is to find it quick and repair it before something small turns into major carnage. Parts wear out or break...our hope is to just keep the accessory damage to a minimum when they do.