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The Associated Press reports that Honda is recalling 81,000 2004 and 2005 Accord sedans for a potential defect in the airbag sensors, and that Toyota is recalling 533,000 2004-2006 Tundras and 2004-2007 Sequoias for a steering flaw.

The Honda recall concerns the housing for the sensor wires that determine the force at which the frontal airbags should deploy. The housing was installed in a way that the sensor wire may break. Without the sensor information, the airbags deploy at full force, which can injure smaller occupants. No injuries have been reported, however.

The Toyota recall concerns a ball joint on the front suspension of the Tundra pickup truck and mechanically related Sequoia SUV. Toyota is concerned that excessive wear on the joint is likely, and that the issue would make the vehicles difficult to steer. Eleven accidents and six injuries have been attributed to the defect, Toyota’s second for front suspension issues on its full-size trucks. The redesigned 2007 Tundra is not affected.

The Toyota recall seems to affect all Tundra and Sequoia models within the stated year range, but the Honda recall does not affect every 2004 and 2005 Accord sedan.
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The company that pioneered hybrid technology is getting more intersted in diesel-powered engines.  One Honda honcho, according to a report in Business Week, stated that while hybrid systems work best in small cars, midsizers and SUVs would benefit more from a diesel system. He hinted that the next-generation Accord may feature a diesel choice rather than a hybrid choice.

On meeting U.S. regulations regulations, CEO Takeo Fukui  claims his engines will be just fine:

Fukui says Honda’s hybrid technology is still an important piece of its strategy, but the company thinks its new diesel engines—which it boasts are both quiet enough for consumers and clean enough to meet tough air regulations in California, New York, and several New England states—are a smart option.

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In case you missed it earlier this week, Honda gave NAIAS visitors a sneak peak at the 2008 Accord Coupe.  But, to many enthusiasts, the new Honda flagship was lost in the shuffle of more exciting vehicles, such as the Mazda Ryuga and the new BMW 3-Series convertible.

Surprisingly (or not) the new Accord Coupe does not seem to be vastly different from the current model, which was introduced in 2003.  Major stylistic changes include a longer hood and quad-exhaust pipes.

John Mendel, Chief of Operations for American Honda, called the Accord model range the “”the single-most important product in Honda North America’s lineup.”  Last year, it ranked third in sales in the U.S. market to the Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla, respectively.