Oil Rising continued

Since my last contribution to this forum I have been in contact with Mazda UK and a well known motoring journal. The more I dig around in this "oil rising"issue with the diesel engined CX-5 the more I get the feeling that Mazda are in a state of denial. But coming down to the nitty gritty, why is it that Mazda seem to avoid giving an explanation as to what precisely it is that causes the engine oil level to rise up to the "X" danger mark on the dipstick in the first place? It may come as a surprise to Mazda that we all know that it is because the engine oil is being contaminated massively by diesel fuel oil entering the oil sump. Surely no amount of official "fluffing" from Customer Care can make this appear to be a "normal" and acceptable process. Mazda must be aware that the majority of their customers, and those of other brands, are totally non technical and probably don't take more than a cursory glance at the Owners Handbook. So how many of them have this important issue of regular oil checks pointed out to them at the sales point? Very few I imagine! So what will be the official line to these people when, a little way down the line, they are told that their engines are showing signs of premature wear? Just for the record, my last car, a SAAB 93 1.9Tdi Sportwagon, ran for seven years on short and long distance journeys and although I was aware of the occasional DPF regeneration the oil level never varied from one service to the next. So what's the problem Mazda?

B Boy, Are you having issues with rising oil levels yourself? I'm assuming you are. I will check mine again tomorrow as it just over the 1K miles now.

No Applauso, I'm not having any oil rise problem so far. In light of what has occurred in Australia where the CX-5 has been on on the road far longer than in Europe and the UK I was advised professionally that it would be a prudent move to register my concern officially with Mazda UK. Already despite what Mazda may claim there are oil rise issues beginning to show up in Europe and more recently in Scandinavia. I laid out the case for my concern and asked for it to be recorded on their database and sent a copy to the dealership. I feel that Mazda could be sailing very close to the wind regarding the Sale of Goods Act. In that if the DPF regeneration system is designed to allow potentially damaging amounts of diesel fuel to contaminate and seriously dilute the engine oil, regardless of average journey lengths, then the vehicle could arguably be pronounced unfit for purpose and returned to the seller. I feel strongly that if all owners wrote to Mazda and argued that a system that allowed considerable amounts of diesel fuel oil to contaminate the engine oil can in no way be accepted as "normal" or acceptable we might see a proper engineering solution and not just a redesigned dipstick.

Oils not Well that ends well

Barnstaple boy said:

No Applauso, I'm not having any oil rise problem so far. In light of what has occurred in Australia where the CX-5 has been on on the road far longer than in Europe and the UK I was advised professionally that it would be a prudent move to register my concern officially with Mazda UK. Already despite what Mazda may claim there are oil rise issues beginning to show up in Europe and more recently in Scandinavia. I laid out the case for my concern and asked for it to be recorded on their database and sent a copy to the dealership. I feel that Mazda could be sailing very close to the wind regarding the Sale of Goods Act. In that if the DPF regeneration system is designed to allow potentially damaging amounts of diesel fuel to contaminate and seriously dilute the engine oil, regardless of average journey lengths, then the vehicle could arguably be pronounced unfit for purpose and returned to the seller. I feel strongly that if all owners wrote to Mazda and argued that a system that allowed considerable amounts of diesel fuel oil to contaminate the engine oil can in no way be accepted as "normal" or acceptable we might see a proper engineering solution and not just a redesigned dipstick.

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In Aust bought car in July - had three oil changes to 8000ks. Had Caltest (Caltex) test oil sample from 7800 k service. No appreciable metals in sump oil but diesel contamination was 7% and rated as 'severe'. After active DPF regeneration took car on highway for 320k run at 2500 revs in fifth gear. Day hot (34c) and aircon on. At magical 200k during fast trip had another active regen. Car is not getting passive regens. Informed mazda Aust about this and asked them about the 350ml of diesel in sump. Awaiting their response. I have posted on mazda Japan's Facebook (in Japanese) these questions. They removed it once but I uploaded in multiple places again and they gave up.

The new 6 is offered with the 2.2 Diesel engine - bit of a worry for Mazda if the oil issue gets around?
They sold me a car with a known potential fault and it's still not fit for purpose.

I've heard a rumour recently here in the UK that the dramatic oil rise problem reported by some CX-5 diesel owners could possibly be something to do with a fault in a temperature sensor that has something to do with the DPF. This is causing the DPF regen. to be initiated far too frequently. Has anyone else heard this one?

Barnstable Boy, How are you getting on with your 2.2 Diesel? Any problems? I have a diesel on order and I am curious as to how you are getting on with yours?

It would appear that there has been very few cases of the Oil rising issue in the UK. I could be wrong but there doesnt appear to be the volume of people complaining in the UK compared tothe rest of the world.

Kjendal said:

I could be wrong but there doesnt appear to be the volume of people complaining in the UK compared to the rest of the world.

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Now there's a first! (Said with tongue firmly in cheek from a land down under)

Give it some time Kjendal, and the problem will become evident (or should I say "arise").

'Tis happening everywhere it is sold, in all climes.

Cheers,
Giddy Goanna.

An interesting letter in the UK "Diesel Car" magazine concerned a business man who had a small fleet with Mazda 2.2 diesels . He claims that the cars are driven by all of the companies drivers, none of the cars are driven by just one driver. All of these particular vehicles have now covered just over 40,000 miles (70,000km). Only a small minority of these vehicles have had an oil rise problem. If there is a basic design fault with this motor then it would have affected the whole fleet. Not only that but there would be many thousands of affected owners so much so that it would very quickly be picked up by the media, and that is simply not happening! It still remains a problem that is only affecting a very tiny number of owners the majority of whom seem to be in Australia. Also don't forget that the oil rise issue has occurred across all brands not just Mazda. I think much more research has to be done into not only why it occurs in small numbers but where it seems to occurs more frequently

Barnstaple boy said:

An interesting letter in the UK "Diesel Car" magazine concerned a business man who had a small fleet with Mazda 2.2 diesels . He claims that the cars are driven by all of the companies drivers, none of the cars are driven by just one driver. All of these particular vehicles have now covered just over 40,000 miles (70,000km). Only a small minority of these vehicles have had an oil rise problem. If there is a basic design fault with this motor then it would have affected the whole fleet. Not only that but there would be many thousands of affected owners so much so that it would very quickly be picked up by the media, and that is simply not happening! It still remains a problem that is only affecting a very tiny number of owners the majority of whom seem to be in Australia. Also don't forget that the oil rise issue has occurred across all brands not just Mazda. I think much more research has to be done into not only why it occurs in small numbers but where it seems to occurs more frequently

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I've written to Mazda about this saying I expect it to be maintained within the service schedule and do not expect to fetch it in for MORE frequent oil changes, otherwise the car is unfit for purpose.
and that i'd rather not be a mazda customer rather than an unhappy one.

my KIA 2.0 diesel with dpf has no need of inter service oil changes. it's 5 1/2 yrs old. I check the oil a few times a year and it's rock steady, no rise or fall at all. As my driving patterns will remain the same with the new car I expect the same of the mazda. I'd have had another KIA again had they not down-sized the diesel to 1.6 and reduced the height of the car on the new model.

I'm comfortable with a reasonable oil level rise, i.e. one that does not require an oil change between services.