Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) employees	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) employees segments	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net loss attributable to Navistar International Corporation	$ (28)		$ (2)			$ (134)	$ (547)
Number Of Segments | segments						4
Goodwill	38					$ 38		$ 38
Sales of manufactured products, net	2,501		2,806			7,544	7,683
Interest expense	75		78			227	234
Capital expenditures	$ 27		7			72	57
Proceeds from financed lease obligations						26	44
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)						$ (38)	65
Goodwill, Impairment Loss			0
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number Of Employees Hourly Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees	6,000					6,000
concentration risk number of employees percentage	73.00%					73.00%
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number of Employees Salaried Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees	200					200
concentration risk number of employees percentage	3.00%					3.00%
Brazilian Reporting Unit [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 3		0	$ 7		$ 3	7
Goodwill				142
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	24			43		24
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	0			142		0	142
Product Warranty Accrual [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)		$ (57)	(29)	$ 42	$ 52
North America Truck [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	3	$ 7
Interest expense	0		0			0	0
Capital expenditures	20		4			58	42
Extended Warranty Programs [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred Revenue, Revenue Recognized	40		$ 36			115	$ 96
Deferred Revenue	419					419		$ 437
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Product Warranty Accrual [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)	$ (2)					$ (2)