Summary
The Acura EL has 8 recalls, all affecting the 2001 model year, with the most serious being airbag inflator defects where both the driver and passenger inflators can rupture during deployment and send metal fragments through the airbag cushion toward occupants. The airbag concern spans several filings that describe the same core problem: the inflators can generate excessive internal pressure, and in the case of the passenger unit, a ruptured inflator can also prevent the airbag from deploying at all in a crash. Long-term exposure to heat and humidity can degrade the propellant further, increasing the force of deployment over time.
The 2001 model year also has two fuel system recalls. In a collision, undersized hose clamps on the fuel filler neck tube can allow the tube to pull away from the tank, leaking fuel that can ignite if an ignition source is nearby. Separately, residual water left in the fuel pump electrical connector during manufacturing can corrode the pump, causing it to fail and the engine to stall without warning. There is also an engine concern where a broken plastic piece from the air cleaner box cover can travel into the throttle body during normal operation and cause the throttle to stick in a partially open position, though brake force can still bring the vehicle to a stop.
