Earning Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Numerator
Numerator for basic and diluted earnings per share - income from continuing operations available to common stockholders	$ 11,523	$ 18,951	$ 27,197	$ 31,287
Denominator
Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted average shares outstanding	62,196	61,292	62,024	61,104
Effect of dilutive securities - stock options and other stock units	1,012	1,317	1,172	1,349
Denominator for diluted earnings per share - adjusted weighted average shares outstanding	63,208	62,609	63,196	62,453
Basic earnings per share:
Income from continuing operations	$ 0.19	$ 0.31	$ 0.44	$ 0.51
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		$ 0.41		$ 0.40
Net income attributable to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company common stockholders	$ 0.19	$ 0.72	$ 0.44	$ 0.91
Diluted earnings per share:
Income from continuing operations	$ 0.18	$ 0.30	$ 0.43	$ 0.50
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		$ 0.40		$ 0.39
Net income attributable to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company common stockholders	$ 0.18	$ 0.70	$ 0.43	$ 0.89
Earnings Per Share (Textuals) [Abstract]
Options excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share			458	443

Earnings per share.

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Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders.

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Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would increase EPS amounts or decrease loss per share amounts for the period presented.

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of income (loss) from continuing operations per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of income (loss) from continuing operations available to each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period and each share that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares for all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of income (loss) from disposition of discontinued operations, net of related tax effect, per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of related tax effect, per each diluted share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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Aggregate awards of share options and nonvested shares to be issued to an employee under a share-based compensation arrangement are considered options for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share. Such share-based awards shall be considered to be outstanding as of the grant date for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share even though their exercise may be contingent upon vesting. Those share-based awards are included in the diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) computation even if the employee may not receive (or be able to sell) the stock until some future date. Accordingly, all shares to be issued shall be included in computing diluted EPS if the effect is dilutive. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements shall be computed using the treasury stock method. If the equity share options or other equity instruments are outstanding for only part of a period, the shares issuable shall be weighted to reflect the portion of the period during which the equity instruments were outstanding.

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The average number of shares issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS, determined based on the timing of issuance of shares in the period.

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Number of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period.

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