Segment Reporting - Summary of Segment Operations (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	$ 2,693nav_Externalsalesandrevenuesnet		$ 2,746nav_Externalsalesandrevenuesnet	$ 5,114nav_Externalsalesandrevenuesnet	$ 4,954nav_Externalsalesandrevenuesnet
Sales and revenues, net	2,693us-gaap_Revenues		2,746us-gaap_Revenues	5,114us-gaap_Revenues	4,954us-gaap_Revenues
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	(64)		(298)	(106)	(547)
Income tax expense	(18)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit		(23)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(25)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(11)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Interest expense	75us-gaap_InterestExpense		74us-gaap_InterestExpense	152us-gaap_InterestExpense	156us-gaap_InterestExpense
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	1		3	3	3
Capital expenditures	28		29	45	50
Intersegment sales and revenues	0nav_Intersegmentsalesandrevenues	35nav_Intersegmentsalesandrevenues	0nav_Intersegmentsalesandrevenues	0nav_Intersegmentsalesandrevenues	0nav_Intersegmentsalesandrevenues
Segment Profit Loss	(46)nav_SegmentProfitLoss		(275)nav_SegmentProfitLoss	(81)nav_SegmentProfitLoss	(536)nav_SegmentProfitLoss
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	74		99	153	185
North America Truck [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	1,933		1,829	3,564	3,220
Sales and revenues, net	1,966		1,889	3,636	3,340
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	(51)		(129)	(69)	(337)
Income tax expense	0		0	0	0
Interest expense	0		0	0	0
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	1		1	3	2
Capital expenditures	24		26	38	38
Intersegment sales and revenues	33		60	72	120
Segment Profit Loss	(51)		(129)	(69)	(337)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	47		71	99	129
North America Parts [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	607		614	1,221	1,188
Sales and revenues, net	613		630	1,239	1,216
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	133		133	278	241
Income tax expense	0		0	0	0
Interest expense	0		0	0	0
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	1		1	2	2
Capital expenditures	0		1	0	5
Intersegment sales and revenues	6		16	18	28
Segment Profit Loss	133		133	278	241
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	4		4	7	8
Global Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	115		265	253	469
Sales and revenues, net	130		271	282	483
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	1		(162)	(14)	(197)
Income tax expense	0		0	0	0
Interest expense	0		0	0	0
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	(1)		1	(2)	(1)
Capital expenditures	1		1	3	4
Intersegment sales and revenues	15		6	29	14
Segment Profit Loss	1		(162)	(14)	(197)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	5		6	12	14
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	35		38	71	77
Sales and revenues, net	60		57	120	112
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	22		24	46	47
Income tax expense	0		0	0	0
Interest expense	18		17	38	34
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	0		0	0	0
Capital expenditures	2		0	2	1
Investment Income, Interest	44		42	89	82
Intersegment sales and revenues	25		19	49	35
Segment Profit Loss	22		24	46	47
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	12		11	24	21
Corporate And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales and revenues, net	3		0	5	0
Sales and revenues, net	(76)		(101)	(163)	(197)
Loss from continuing operations, net of tax	(169)		(164)	(347)	(301)
Income tax expense	(18)		(23)	(25)	(11)
Interest expense	57		57	114	122
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	0		0	0	0
Capital expenditures	1		1	2	2
Intersegment sales and revenues	(79)		(101)	(168)	(197)
Segment Profit Loss	(151)		(141)	(322)	(290)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	$ 6		$ 7	$ 11	$ 13

External sales and revenues, net

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Intersegment sales and revenues

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Amount of profit or loss recognized by the reportable segment.

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The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests.

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income on nonoperating securities.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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