Debt Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended								1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended												1 Months Ended							1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						2 Months Ended							1 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009	Oct. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	Oct. 31, 2009 Manufacturing Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member]		Oct. 31, 2009 Manufacturing Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Manufacturing Operations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2007 Manufacturing Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Purchased Call Option [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Base Rate [Member] Minimum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Base Rate [Member] Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] LIBOR [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] LIBOR [Member] Minimum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] LIBOR [Member] Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Asset-based revolving senior credit facility due 2016 [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Asset Based Revolving Senior Credit Facility Due 2017 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Various dealership Debt Instruments [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Financing Arrangements [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Capital Lease Obligations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Capital Lease Obligations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Days	Oct. 31, 2009 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Minimum [Member] Days	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Debt [Member] Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2009 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Term loan facility and synthetic revolving facility [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	Oct. 31, 2009 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	Nov. 02, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Prior to November 1, 2012 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] November 1, 2014 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] November 1, 2015 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] November 1, 2016 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] November 1, 2017 [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Notes Payable to Banks [Member] Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Illinois Finance Authority Recovery Zone Facility Revenue Bond [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] County of Cook Recovery Zone Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Tax Exempt Bond [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Tax Exempt Bond [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Manufacturing Operations [Member] Tax Exempt Bond [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member]		Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member]	Jul. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] United States Dollars and Mexican Pesos [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member] United States Dollars and Mexican Pesos [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] United States of America, Dollars	Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member] United States of America, Dollars	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] Mexico, Pesos	Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member] Mexico, Pesos	Dec. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] Bank Facility [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Financial Services Operations [Member] Retail securization debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member] Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member] Trac Funding Facility [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member] Secured Debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Financial Services Operations [Member] Secured Debt [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Navistar Financial Retail Receivables Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	May 31, 2010 Navistar Financial Retail Receivables Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Maximum [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Revolving Credit Agreement [Member] LIBOR [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Revolving Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Revolving loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Mexican sub-revolver [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Navistar Financial Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 International Truck Leasing Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 International Truck Leasing Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Jul. 15, 2010 Truck Retail Installment Paper Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	May 30, 2010 Truck Retail Installment Paper Corporation [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Navistar Leasing Company [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Navistar Leasing Company [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Special Purpose Entity [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Special Purpose Entity [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 NC2 Global, LLC [Member] Manufacturing Operations [Member] Promissory Note [Member] Installments	Sep. 30, 2011 NC2 Global, LLC [Member] Manufacturing Operations [Member] Promissory Note [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 NC2 Global, LLC [Member] Manufacturing Operations [Member] Promissory Note [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Borrowings Under Credit Facility [Member] Manufacturing Operations [Member] Asset Based Revolving Senior Credit Facility Due 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Refinancing of Debt [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Bank Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Refinancing of Debt [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Refinancing of Debt [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Revolving Line Of Credit [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Refinancing of Debt [Member] Installment Payments Set One [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Term Loan [Member] Installments	Dec. 31, 2011 Refinancing of Debt [Member] Installment Payments Set Two [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member] Term Loan [Member] Installments
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity												$ 200,000,000							$ 355,000,000												$ 1,500,000,000																																								$ 815,000,000							$ 500,000,000									$ 840,000,000
Line Of Credit Facility Term																			5 years												5 years																										5 years														3 years
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range, Minimum																						3.20%	6.70%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range, Maximum																						4.00%	8.60%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding																																																																																						100,000,000
Long-term debt	4,856,000,000							1,980,000,000	[1]		1,986,000,000												118,000,000	221,000,000					497,000,000	476,000,000		967,000,000			965,000,000									225,000,000	225,000,000	225,000,000	2,876,000,000	[2]	2,884,000,000		348,000,000	295,000,000							70,000,000	112,000,000		1,664,000,000	1,731,000,000																		1,700,000,000	1,700,000,000	40,000,000	40,000,000	0
Debt instrument, principal repayment term (years)																																																																																			4 years
Debt Instrument, Number Of Installment Payments																																																																																			16							8	11
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate														0.50%	1.00%	1.75%	1.50%	2.00%																																																	4.25%																275.00%
Face amount																													570,000,000			1										135,000,000	90,000,000	225,000,000	225,000,000																100,000,000											450,000,000	100,000,000																500,000,000
Stated interest rate																													3.00%			8.25%												6.50%	6.50%
Percent of redemption price equal to principal amount																																100.00%				108.25%	104.125%	102.75%	101.375%	100.00%				100.00%
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt																																													91,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt							947,000,000																																																									290,000,000	919,000,000
Unamortized discount	106,000,000							106,000,000	[1]																				73,000,000	94,000,000		33,000,000	37,000,000		35,000,000												0	[2]
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs																																	16,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage																																	8.96%
Debt instruments, percent of aggregate principal amount redeemable																																									35.00%
Percent of early redemption price equal to principal amount																																103.00%
Debt instrument early redemption amount																				100,000,000												50,000,000		50,000,000							50,000,000
Percent of principal for applicable premium																																1.00%
Proceeds from Convertible Debt										553,000,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	11,000,000	35,000,000	40,000,000																							17,000,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights													11,337,870
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price													$ 50.27
Payments for Derivative Instrument, Investing Activities													125,000,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights								$ 60.14
Conversion price, per share of common stock (dollars per share)																													$ 50.27
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants								87,000,000
Threshold percentage of last reported sale price of common stock																												98.00%
Debt instrument redemption period						12 months
Term loan																																																																				365,000,000																				340,000,000
Repayments of Lines of Credit																																																																													500,000,000
Pledged Assets, Other, Not Separately Reported on Statement of Financial Position																																															1,900,000,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																																																										67,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum																					4.90%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum																					6.80%
Present Value of Future Minimum Lease Payments, Sale Leaseback Transactions								113,000,000			203,000,000
Term of financing arrangements				8 months	3 years
Capital Lease Obligations								5,000,000			18,000,000
Number of trading days																											20
Commercial Paper																																															70,000,000		67,000,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal																																																																																										4,000,000	9,000,000
Collateral coverage ratio																																																																				120.00%
collateral coverage ratio year 2																																																																				135.00%
Collateral coverage ration year 3																																																																				150.00%
Secured Debt																																																		600,000,000																		225,000,000							64,000,000	105,000,000			6,000,000	7,000,000
Loans Pledged as Collateral																																																																											70,000,000	107,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt																																																																										79,000,000
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate																																																																					5.70%	5.90%
Terms of conversion																													(i) during any fiscal quarter commencing after January 31, 2010, if the last reported sale price of the common stock for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during a period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the preceding fiscal quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the applicable conversion price on each such trading day; (ii) during the five business day period after any five consecutive trading day period (the “Measurement Period”) in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of that Measurement Period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the common stock and the applicable conversion rate on each such trading day; or (iii) upon the occurrence of specified corporate events, as more fully described in the Convertible Indenture.
Number of consecutive trading days																									30
Debt instrument, borrowings denominated in pesos percentage																																																					21.00%	17.00%	79.00%	83.00%
Debt and Lease Covenants [Abstract]
Fixed charge coverage ratio																																																																		125.00%
Payments to subsidiary to meet convenant requirement			20,000,000
Early conversion price, percent								130.00%
Conversion ratio basis, amount																													$ 1,000
Trading day observation period length (days)								40																					40 days
Conversion price, percent																													100.00%
Conversion ratio, shares of common stock (in shares)																													19.8910

[1] Amounts include the borrowing of $100 million under the Asset-Based Credit Facility in November 2011, reflected as being due in 2017.

[2] Amounts reflect the NFC refinancing of its bank credit facility in December 2011 with a five-year revolving line of credit and term loan, totaling $840 million, which shifted certain debt maturities to be largely due in 2017.