Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended																						3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Oct. 31, 2013 segments		Oct. 31, 2012		Oct. 31, 2011		Oct. 31, 2013 Number Of Employees Hourly Workers [Member] Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] employees	Oct. 31, 2013 Number of Employees Salaried Workers [Member] Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] employees	Oct. 31, 2013 G E Operating Agreement [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Financial Services Operations [Member]		Oct. 31, 2012 Financial Services Operations [Member]		Oct. 31, 2011 Financial Services Operations [Member]		Oct. 31, 2013 NA Truck [Member]		Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member]		Oct. 31, 2011 NA Truck [Member]		Oct. 31, 2013 Field Campaign to address issues in products sold [Member] NA Truck [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Field Campaign to address issues in products sold [Member] NA Truck [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Extended Warranty Programs [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Extended Warranty Programs [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Extended Warranty Programs [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Warranty contracts sold in current year [Member] NA Truck [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Product Warranty Accrual [Member] NA Truck [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Variable Interest Entity Primary Beneficiary Securitizations Treated As Borrowings [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Variable Interest Entity Primary Beneficiary Securitizations Treated As Borrowings [Member] Financial Services Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]		Apr. 30, 2013 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]		Jan. 31, 2013 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Product Warranty Accrual [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Pre-existing Warranty [Member] NA Truck [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number Of Segments							4
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent							$ (898)		$ (3,010)		$ 1,723				$ (8)	$ 81	[1]	$ 91	[1]	$ 129	[1]	$ (902)		$ (736)		$ 344
Sales of manufactured products, net							10,617		12,527		13,441				(113)
Cost of Goods Sold							9,761		11,401		10,937				(113)
Depreciation and amortization							417		323		328				37	40	[1]	33	[1]	28	[1]	305		216		230
Interest Expense							321		259		247				8	70	[1]	88	[1]	109	[1]	0		0		0
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment							167	[2]	309	[2]	429	[2]			184	2	[1],[2]	3	[1],[2]	2	[1],[2]	142	[2]	173	[2]	171	[2]
Proceeds from finance lease obligations							294		0		0				201
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets																																			989	1,100
Product Warranty Accrual Adjustment related to costs incurred in prior periods				28
Product Warranty Accrual, Increase (Decrease), per share				$ 0.41
Advertising Expense							73		78		71
Product Warranty Expense																						161		66				88	130				19	47												127
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax							(23)		(25)		4
Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees													5,600	400
concentration risk number of employees percentage													64.00%	6.00%
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting Increase Decrease Per Share, Net of Tax					$ 0.39	$ 0.34																															$ 1.89	$ 0.60		$ 2.04		$ 0.50	$ 2.16	$ 1.51	$ 1.76
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)	152	10	13	149	30	27	404		404		79																											48	[3]	164	[3]	40	149	104	123
Deferred Revenue																														420	364	257
Deferred Revenue, Revenue Recognized																														$ 87	$ 63	$ 53

[1] (A)Total sales and revenues in the Financial Services segment include interest revenues of $181 million, $254 million, and $285 million for 2013, 2012, and 2011, respectively.

[2] (B)Exclusive of purchases of equipment leased to others.

[3] (C)In the first quarter of 2013, we recognized $13 million of charges for adjustments to pre-existing warranties for a specific warranty issue related to component parts from a supplier. Also during the first quarter of 2013, we reached agreement for reimbursement from this supplier for this amount and other costs previously accrued. As a result of this agreement, we recognized a recovery of $27 million within Costs of products sold and recorded a receivable within Other current assets. In the second quarter of 2013, we recognized a warranty recovery of $13 million within Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax and recorded a receivable within Other current assets.In the third quarter of 2012, we recognized $10 million of adjustments to pre-existing warranties for a specific warranty issue related to component parts from a supplier. Also during the quarter, we reached agreement for reimbursement from such supplier and recognized a recovery for that amount and recorded a receivable within Other current assets.