Audi Repair: 1998 Audi A6 Quattro, head gasket problem, antifreeze coolant

Question
Hi Jan,

I have a 98 A6 Quattro 2.8 with a few new problems:
1.  My coolant level drops and the light comes on.  I have no visible signs of coolant leak in the driveway, even after running the engine for awhile, however the level drops and must be topped off every 2-3 weeks.  
2.  When turning at a slow rate of speed, such as pulling out of the driveway, there is a creaking/clunking sound coming from my right front wheel.  

I plan to take the car in very soon, however I would like to have a little background knowledge on the potential problems and the solutions.  

Thanks for your time.

Answer
I would check the oil, make sure it is not milky looking.  Coolant does not vaporize easily, so it has to go somewhere.  It either leaks out in very small amounts, maybe when the engine is hot, so that the leak does not result in a drip, or it is going into the engine.  So check the oil, if it is milky you may have a head gasket problem.  Also see if you notice the smell of hot antifreeze coolant when the engine is hot, it is a kind of sweet smell.  Look under the hood for steam after a journey, to indicate where a leak is, or usually there is a white powdery crusty buildup wherever there is a slow leak.  With reference to the noise from the front wheel, this could be a bad CV joint, or a loose brake caliper.  A CV joint is more of a systematic clicking that goes with the wheel speed, and is worse around corners.  Let me know what they say,  Jan