Need help with a noise my car made. I will do my best to explain.

I have a 2005 Ford Taurus. So when I drove to work this morning my car was fine. When I left for work I noticed my check engine light was on and this is when I first started the car. I turned my head lights on and I didn't a difference in the cars performance. When I got home, parked and turned the car off there was a metal clanking noise on the right side on the car(when sitting in the driver seat. Left side if you are looking into the car from the hood.) Then I try to start it again and it wasn't starting. No noise was made but it eventually started as I left the ignition turned it started with some the same metal clanking.