Condensed consolidating guarantor and non-guarantor financial information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	$ 529	$ 519	$ 1,684	$ 1,561
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	547	444	547	444	539	539	585	585
Marketable securities						718
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents						327
Finance and other receivables, net						4,254
Inventories	1,877		1,877			1,714
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	46		46			60
Property and equipment, net	1,646		1,646			1,570
Goodwill	280		280			319
Deferred Tax Assets, Net						2,057
Other Assets						733
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	179		179			234
Total Assets	11,143		11,143			12,291
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			8	(141)
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations						4,856
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities						3,316
Amounts due to (from) affiliates						0
Other liabilities						4,091
Total Liabilities	11,501		11,501			12,263
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	5		5			5
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	44		44			50
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	(407)		(407)			(27)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	11,143		11,143			12,291
NIC [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	18	15	57	56
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	252	139	252	139		226		239
Marketable securities	46		46			429
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	20		20			20
Finance and other receivables, net	4		4			3
Inventories	0		0			0
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	(2,527)		(2,527)			(2,094)
Property and equipment, net	0		0			0
Goodwill	0		0			0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	230		230			31
Other Assets						168
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	108		108
Total Assets	(1,867)		(1,867)			(1,217)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			26	(100)
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	1,611		1,611			1,689
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities	0		0			0
Amounts due to (from) affiliates	(5,851)		(5,851)			(5,574)
Other liabilities	2,775		2,775			2,690
Total Liabilities	(1,465)		(1,465)			(1,195)
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	5		5			5
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0		0			0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	(407)		(407)			(27)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	(1,867)		(1,867)			(1,217)
Navistar, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	329	302	1,020	915
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	55	85	55	85		13		22
Marketable securities	0		0			1
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	6		6			9
Finance and other receivables, net	156		156			154
Inventories	737		737			650
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	6,303		6,303			5,818
Property and equipment, net	756		756			600
Goodwill	0		0			0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	1,878		1,878			1,912
Other Assets						152
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	160		160
Total Assets	10,051		10,051			9,309
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			42	63
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	418		418			156
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities	2,855		2,855			2,981
Amounts due to (from) affiliates	9,940		9,940			9,055
Other liabilities	(296)		(296)			(194)
Total Liabilities	12,917		12,917			11,998
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0		0			0
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0		0			0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	(2,866)		(2,866)			(2,689)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	10,051		10,051			9,309
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	206	230	682	671
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	240	220	240	220		300		324
Marketable securities	113		113			288
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	253		253			298
Finance and other receivables, net	3,109		3,109			4,070
Inventories	1,172		1,172			1,113
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	38		38			54
Property and equipment, net	892		892			972
Goodwill	280		280			319
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	301		301			114
Other Assets						416
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	370		370
Total Assets	6,768		6,768			7,944
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(60)	(104)
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	2,617		2,617			3,242
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities	315		315			335
Amounts due to (from) affiliates	(4,165)		(4,165)			(3,595)
Other liabilities	1,604		1,604			1,717
Total Liabilities	371		371			1,699
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0		0			0
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	44		44			52
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	6,353		6,353			6,193
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	6,768		6,768			7,944
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(24)	(28)	(75)	(81)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0		0		0
Marketable securities	0		0			0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0		0			0
Finance and other receivables, net	(2)		(2)			27
Inventories	(32)		(32)			(49)
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	(3,768)		(3,768)			(3,718)
Property and equipment, net	(2)		(2)			(2)
Goodwill	0		0			0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	(3)		(3)			0
Other Assets						(3)
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	(2)		(2)
Total Assets	(3,809)		(3,809)			(3,745)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	(234)		(234)			(231)
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities	0		0			0
Amounts due to (from) affiliates	76		76			114
Other liabilities	(164)		(164)			(122)
Total Liabilities	(322)		(322)			(239)
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0		0			0
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0		0			(2)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	(3,487)		(3,487)			(3,504)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	(3,809)		(3,809)			(3,745)
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	547		547
Marketable securities	159		159
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	279		279
Finance and other receivables, net	3,267		3,267
Inventories	1,877		1,877
Investments in non-consolidated affiliates	46		46
Property and equipment, net	1,646		1,646
Goodwill	280		280
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	2,406		2,406
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	636		636
Total Assets	11,143		11,143
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	4,412		4,412
Pension and Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plans, Liabilities	3,170		3,170
Amounts due to (from) affiliates	0		0
Other liabilities	3,919		3,919
Total Liabilities	11,501		11,501
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	5		5
Stockholders' equity attributable to non-controlling interests	44		44
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation	(407)		(407)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)	$ 11,143		$ 11,143