1. The way power steering system is built in a Mk 1 Leon, it will still run fine even with fluid far below minimum. It has been designed to avoid loss of PS even if there is a massive leak. Less than 1/2 of the fluid is in the reservoir, about 0.4-0.5 liters out of about 1.5 liters in the system. So even if you have barely enough fluid to wet the lower tip of the dipstick, it still runs, but you get nasty noises at full lock left or right. The noise is the warning to fill up.
2. If there are no signs of rubbing on tyres and all seems ok, but on applying a little brake all of a sudden the steering gets nasty, I'd check the brake pads.
Front calipers of the non-Cupra-R Mk 1 may some times get stuck. Check the temps on the brake rotor surface just after some brake. If on of them is much hotter than other, pads stick to the surface of the rotor and rub. This is dangerous, as they become hotter and hotter, until you get smoke and burning smell from wheel bearings.
2. If there are no signs of rubbing on tyres and all seems ok, but on applying a little brake all of a sudden the steering gets nasty, I'd check the brake pads.
Front calipers of the non-Cupra-R Mk 1 may some times get stuck. Check the temps on the brake rotor surface just after some brake. If on of them is much hotter than other, pads stick to the surface of the rotor and rub. This is dangerous, as they become hotter and hotter, until you get smoke and burning smell from wheel bearings.
