Condensed Consolidating Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013
Sales and revenues, net	$ 2,488	$ 2,538	$ 2,693	$ 2,421	$ 3,008	$ 2,844	$ 2,746	$ 2,208	$ 10,140	$ 10,806	$ 10,775
Costs of products sold									8,670	9,534	9,761
Restructuring charges									76	42	25
Asset impairment charges									30	183	97
All other operating expenses (income)									1,473	1,612	1,877
Total costs and expenses									10,249	11,371	11,760
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									6	9	11
Income (loss) before income taxes									(103)	(556)	(974)
Income tax expense									(51)	(26)	171
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(51)	(30)	(64)	(42)	(72)	(3)	(298)	(249)	(154)	(582)	(803)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	1	2	0	0	0	1	1	1	3	3	(41)
Net income (loss)	$ (50)	$ (28)	$ (64)	$ (42)	$ (72)	$ (2)	$ (297)	$ (248)	(151)	(579)	(844)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									33	40	54
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(184)	(619)	(898)
Parent Company [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									0	0	0
Costs of products sold									0	0	0
Restructuring charges									0	0	0
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
All other operating expenses (income)									88	(48)	(208)
Total costs and expenses									88	(48)	(208)
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									(96)	(680)	(1,108)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(184)	(632)	(900)
Income tax expense									0	13	2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(184)	(619)	(898)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(184)	(619)	(898)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(184)	(619)	(898)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									7,267	7,269	6,426
Costs of products sold									6,614	6,794	6,629
Restructuring charges									50	8	15
Asset impairment charges									13	16	81
All other operating expenses (income)									1,054	1,003	1,180
Total costs and expenses									7,731	7,821	7,905
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									225	(169)	161
Income (loss) before income taxes									(239)	(721)	(1,318)
Income tax expense									1	25	244
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(238)	(696)	(1,074)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(238)	(696)	(1,074)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(238)	(696)	(1,074)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									7,413	8,196	8,979
Costs of products sold									6,510	7,337	7,720
Restructuring charges									26	34	10
Asset impairment charges									17	167	16
All other operating expenses (income)									399	541	659
Total costs and expenses									6,952	8,079	8,405
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									2	5	4
Income (loss) before income taxes									463	122	578
Income tax expense									(52)	(64)	(75)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									411	58	503
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									3	3	(41)
Net income (loss)									414	61	462
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									33	40	54
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									381	21	408
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									(4,540)	(4,659)	(4,630)
Costs of products sold									(4,454)	(4,597)	(4,588)
Restructuring charges									0	0	0
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
All other operating expenses (income)									(68)	116	246
Total costs and expenses									(4,522)	(4,481)	(4,342)
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									(125)	853	954
Income (loss) before income taxes									(143)	675	666
Income tax expense									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(143)	675	666
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(143)	675	666
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ (143)	$ 675	$ 666