There’s been no recall for this model regarding oil consumption. And although there have been a handful of recalls for the CX-5, your car is not within the build-date parameters to be one of the affected ones.

It’s important to remember that often, a problem with a car sold in another market, won’t affect the same make and model in another part of the world. This can be because of vastly different operating conditions, different driving and usage habits and even the two apparently identical vehicles being built in different factories with different suppliers producing the parts.

Don’t forget, either, that all engines consume some oil. A turbocharged engine with its higher combustion chamber pressures will often sip a little more, but some oil consumption is part of the normal process of engine operation. That’s particularly true of modern cars which often use low-tension piston rings to reduce internal friction and, therefore, fuel consumption, at the cost of a little more oil consumption.

This is not as simple as perhaps it should be. Different carmakers use different methods to calculate cargo space, and Mazda uses the VDA method which uses 200mm X 100mm X 50mm blocks to determine the volume. In this case, the CX-5 has a volume of 438 litres with the rear seats up and 1340 litres with the seat folded down.

However, you need to know the dimensions in centimetres, so here’s how it pans out: The CX-5 has a luggage space length of 89.7cm with the rear seat in place, 171.5cm with the seat folded, a luggage space height of 82.7cm and a width of 105cm at its narrowest point.

Perhaps that helps, but the best way by far (if possible) is to visit a Mazda showroom with the wheelchair in question and physically see if it fits.

The problem of the sump filling with diesel was not unknown on early CX-5 diesels. A leaking injector is possible, but the main cause of this was believed to be the car’s DPF regeneration process dumping large amounts of fuel into the engine, some of which finds its way past the piston rings and into the sump. Either way, a new engine is a large expense.

There’s every chance that Mazda won’t offer any help given the age of the vehicle, nor is this type of engine damage usually a cause for an insurance claim. It would definitely be worth contacting Mazda Australia’s customer service division, but don’t hold your breath.