The 2001 Acura EL has 8 recalls, the most serious being multiple airbag inflator defects where the inflator can rupture during deployment and send metal fragments through the airbag cushion into the cabin.
Both the driver and passenger frontal airbag inflators are affected. On the driver's side, long-term heat and humidity can degrade the propellant and cause the inflator to burst with excessive force. The passenger-side inflator carries the same rupture risk and can also damage the airbag module enough to prevent it from deploying at all in a crash. These are well-known Takata inflator issues, and prior repair attempts may not have fully resolved the problem for all affected vehicles.
On the fuel system side, two separate issues exist: hose clamps on the fuel filler neck can lose clamping force and allow the tube to pull away from the tank in a collision, spilling fuel near potential ignition sources, and residual moisture in the fuel pump electrical connector can corrode the pump and cause 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 and cause the throttle to stick in a partially open position.
