<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-01-28</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001113256</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARVINMERITOR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001454513</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hopgood Daniel Roy</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ARVINMERITOR, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2135 WEST MAPLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TROY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48084-7186</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Controller</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-01-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>28936</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>703</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>ArvinMeritor Savings Plan</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Share Equivalents</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>ArvinMeritor Supplemental Savings Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Date of shareholder approval of 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan under which grant was made on December 1, 2009, subject to such sharheolder approval.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">inapplicable</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Total also includes 5,436 shares  of restricted stock that are held by the issuer to implement restrictions on transfer unless and until certain conditions are met and 23,500 restricted stock units, each of which represents the right to receive one share of common stock upon the vesting date, subject to terms and conditions.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares purchased periodically and held in ArvinMeritor common stock funds in an employee benefit trust established under the ArvinMeritor, Inc. Savings Plan, based on information furnished by the Plan Administrator as of December 31, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Share equivalents related to ArvinMeritor common stock, held under ArvinMeritor's supplemental savings plan, based on information furnished by the Plan Administrator as of December 31, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Inapplicable</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Daniel R. Hopgood, By Barbara Novak, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-01-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
