Selected quarterly financial data (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011		Jul. 31, 2011		Apr. 30, 2011		Jan. 31, 2011		Oct. 31, 2010		Jul. 31, 2010		Apr. 30, 2010		Jan. 31, 2010		Jul. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount																		$ (1,500)
Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Financial Data
Sales and revenues, net	4,323	[1],[2]	3,537	[2]	3,355		2,743		3,372	[1],[3]	3,221	[1]	2,743	[1]	2,809	[1]		13,958	12,145	11,569
Manufacturing gross margin	845	[1],[2],[4],[5]	560	[2],[4],[5]	597	[4],[5]	494	[4],[5]	551	[1],[3],[4],[5]	637	[1],[4],[5]	501	[1],[4],[5]	496	[1],[4],[5]
Impairment of property and equipment	0	[1],[2]	64	[2]					0	[1],[3]	0	[1]						64	0	31
Net income	275	[1],[2]	1,409	[2]	88		6		50	[1],[3]	129	[1]	56	[1]	32	[1]	345	1,778	267	345
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests	20	[1],[2]	9	[2]	14		12		6	[1],[3]	12	[1]	13	[1]	13	[1]		55	44	25
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation	255	[1],[2],[5]	1,400	[2],[5]	74	[5]	(6)	[5]	44	[1],[3],[5]	117	[1],[5]	43	[1],[5]	19	[1],[5]		1,723	223	320
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.52	[1],[2]	$ 19.10	[2]	$ 1.01		$ (0.08)		$ 0.62	[1],[3]	$ 1.61	[1]	$ 0.61	[1]	$ 0.27	[1]		$ 23.66	$ 3.11	$ 4.51
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.48	[1],[2]	$ 18.24	[2]	$ 0.93		$ (0.08)		$ 0.61	[1],[3]	$ 1.56	[1]	$ 0.60	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]		$ 22.64	$ 3.05	$ 4.46
Market price range-common stock:
High	$ 52.36	[1],[2]	$ 70.40	[2]	$ 71.49		$ 66.39		$ 53.83	[1],[3]	$ 58	[1]	$ 52.43	[1]	$ 41.52	[1]
Low	$ 30.01	[1],[2]	$ 50.05	[2]	$ 58.49		$ 48.32		$ 40.58	[1],[3]	$ 44	[1]	$ 36.79	[1]	$ 31.53	[1]
Effects Of Change on Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations And Financial Data [Abstract]
Net Income	22
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation	22
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 0.3
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 0.3
Scenario Computed Under Ratable Method [Member]
Effects Of Change on Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations And Financial Data [Abstract]
Net Income	297
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation	277
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.82
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.78
Scenario Reported Under the Performance Based Method [Member]
Effects Of Change on Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations And Financial Data [Abstract]
Net Income	275
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation	255
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.52
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ 3.48
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Financial Data
Net income									45
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation									39
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ 0.55
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ 0.54
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Financial Data
Net income									5
Net income attributable to Navistar International Corporation									5
Basic earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ 0.07
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ 0.07
Correction Of Errors And Effect Of New Accounting Guidance Adoption [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount	61
Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Financial Data
Restatement of Prior Year Income, Net of Tax																			$ (10)	$ 29

[1] Starting with the first quarter of 2011, the Company changed its method of accruing for certain incentive compensation, specifically relating to cash bonuses, for interim reporting purposes from a ratable method to a performance-based method. The Company believes that the performance-based method is preferable because it links the accrual of incentive compensation with the achievement of performance. This change did not have an impact on our annual financial results. We have revised our previously reported Quarterly Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Financial Data on a retrospective basis to reflect this change in principle based on information that would have been available as of our previous filing.

[2] In the fourth quarter of 2011, certain out-of-period adjustments were recorded related to the partial release of the Company's income tax valuation allowance. The adjustments of approximately $61 million primarily related to the classification of a deferred tax item and resulted in the Company recognizing an additional income tax benefit. The Company should have recognized the income tax benefit for this amount in the third quarter of 2011 with the release of a portion of the Company's income tax valuation allowance. Correcting the error was not material to any of the related periods.

[3] In the fourth quarter of 2010, we recorded out-of-period adjustments of $10 million. See Note 1, Summary of significant accounting policies.

[4] Manufacturing gross margin is calculated by subtracting Costs of products sold from Sales of manufactured products, net.

[5] We record adjustments to our product warranty accrual to reflect changes in our estimate of warranty costs for products sold in prior periods. Such adjustments typically occur when claims experience deviates from historic and expected trends.