Actually I am quite good at checking these things including changing my own oil in my 2018 Audi Q5 (my vehicle is garaged in Savannah, hers is in NYC). The service manager referenced the leaves in his report. I brushed off the leaves and removed the covers on both sides. Everything appeared to be very clean under the covers. The vehicle is still under warranty and if this is a recurring design problem, Audi should fix it.