Fair Value Measurements (Balance Sheet Grouping) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 31, 2012		Oct. 31, 2011
Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.25%
Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.50%
Carrying Value [Member]
Assets
Finance receivables	$ 687		$ 958
Notes receivable	61		47
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	872		967
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	514	[1]	497	[1]
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	75		94
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Financing Arrangements [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	122		114
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	225		225
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Promissory Note [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	33		40
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	238		0
Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	43		39
Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Asset-Backed Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	1,299		1,664
Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Bank Revolvers [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	857		1,072
Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	53		70
Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	57		70
Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Assets
Finance receivables	689		954
Notes receivable	59		47
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	865		1,131
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	517	[1]	633	[1]
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	74		88
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Financing Arrangements [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	115		112
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	236		234
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Promissory Note [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	33		39
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	238		0
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	42		26
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Asset-Backed Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	1,301		1,695
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Bank Revolvers [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	818		1,091
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	53		70
Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	56		70
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Assets
Finance receivables	0		0
Notes receivable	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	865		1,131
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	517	[1]	633	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Financing Arrangements [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Promissory Note [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Asset-Backed Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Bank Revolvers [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	53		70
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Assets
Finance receivables	0		0
Notes receivable	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0	[1]	0	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Financing Arrangements [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	236		234
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Promissory Note [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Asset-Backed Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Bank Revolvers [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member]
Assets
Finance receivables	689		954
Notes receivable	59		47
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0	[1]	0	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	74		88
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Financing Arrangements [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	115		112
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Promissory Note [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	33		39
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	238
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Manufacturing [Member] | Other [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	42		26
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Asset-Backed Debt [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	1,301		1,695
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Bank Revolvers [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	818		1,091
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Carrying Value [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 56		$ 70

[1] The carrying value represents the financial statement amount of the debt after allocation of the conversion feature to equity, while the fair value is based on quoted market prices for the convertible note which includes the equity feature.