Restructuring and Impairments - Narrative (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended									24 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			18 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	18 Months Ended				3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2012 Cost Initiatives [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Consolidation of Truck & Engine & Relocation of WHQ [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Manufacturing Operations [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Engineering integration [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Location Fort Wayne And Springfield [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 NA Truck [Member] Location Fort Wayne And Springfield [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Location Fort Wayne And Springfield [Member] Employee Relocation [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Location Fort Wayne And Springfield [Member] Pension And Other Postretirement Contractual Termination Benefits [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Location Fort Wayne And Springfield [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Garland Assembly Plant [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 NA Truck [Member] Garland Assembly Plant [Member] Garland plant closure [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Warrenville [Member] Accrued Rent Expense, Reversal [Domain]	Apr. 30, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Warrenville [Member] Lease Vacancy [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Warrenville [Member] Lease Vacancy Fair Value [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member] Facility Closing [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member] Pension And Other Postretirement Contractual Termination Benefits [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member] Other Restructuring [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 NA Truck [Member] Custom Products Operations Union City and Coburg [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Custom Products Operations Union City and Coburg [Member] Facility Closing [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Custom Products Operations Union City and Coburg [Member] Pension And Other Postretirement Contractual Termination Benefits [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Custom Products Operations Union City and Coburg [Member] Other Restructuring [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Custom Products Operations Union City and Coburg [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 NA Truck [Member] Workhorse Custom Chassis [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 NA Parts [Member] Workhorse Custom Chassis [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Voluntary Separation Program [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Voluntary Separation Program [Member] Pension And Other Postretirement Contractual Termination Benefits [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Voluntary Separation Program [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Voluntary Separation Program [Member] Employee Severance [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] NA Truck [Member] Chatham [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Pension Plan, Defined Benefit [Member] Chatham [Member] Facility Closing [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Discontinuation Engineering Program [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Discontinued Operations [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges	$ 24	$ 97	$ 16	$ 13																																	$ 19	$ 38
Restructuring charges		25	107	82	73	23	58	29	5	29	18	4		4	22	3	16	19	50	34	8	8		11			7			73	7	66	11
Other post-employment benefit charges																									2	2
Restructuring and Related Cost, Cost Incurred to Date													12
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost																																		20	70
Pension curtailment gain																																				8
Impairment of Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)		$ 105	$ 44	$ 75																			$ 51					$ 28	$ 10