Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($) employees	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($) employees segments	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2012 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Costs of products sold												$ 8,670	$ 9,534	$ 9,761
Net loss attributable to Navistar International Corporation												$ (184)	(619)	(898)
Number Of Segments | segments												4
Advertising Expense												$ 26	39	48
Goodwill	$ 38			$ 38				$ 184				38	38	184	$ 280
Sales of manufactured products, net												9,995	10,653	10,617
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization												281	332	417
Interest expense												307	314	321
Capital expenditures												115	88	167
Proceeds from financed lease obligations												33	60	294
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)	40			(10)				152				1	55	404
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 19			34								19	34
Goodwill, Impairment Loss												0	142	81
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax												$ 17	(21)	(23)
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number Of Employees Hourly Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees	5,600											5,600
concentration risk number of employees percentage	72.00%											72.00%
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number of Employees Salaried Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees	300											300
concentration risk number of employees percentage	5.00%											5.00%
Brazilian Reporting Unit [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)		$ 3				$ 7						$ 7	7	0
Goodwill						142
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)		24				43
Goodwill, Impairment Loss												0	142	81
Warranty Liability Prior Period Adjustment [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Costs of products sold													36
Product Warranty Accrual [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)			$ (57)		$ (29)	$ 42	$ 52		$ 48	$ 164	$ 40
G E Operating Agreement [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Costs of products sold														(113)
Net loss attributable to Navistar International Corporation														(8)
Sales of manufactured products, net														(113)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization														37
Interest expense														8
Capital expenditures														184
Proceeds from financed lease obligations														201
North America Truck [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 4	$ 3	$ 7
Goodwill	0			0				0				0	0	0	$ 82
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization												173	216	305
Interest expense												0	0	0
Capital expenditures												92	65	137
Product Warranty Expense														161
Goodwill, Impairment Loss								77		$ 4		0	0	81
North America Truck [Member] | Field Campaign to address issues in products sold [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Expense												6	13	88
Extended Warranty Programs [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred Revenue, Revenue Recognized												154	132	87
Deferred Revenue	$ 401			$ 437				$ 420				$ 401	$ 437	$ 420
Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product warranty coverage period												1 year
Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product warranty coverage period												5 years
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Product Warranty Accrual [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)												$ (3)
Building [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												20 years
Building [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												50 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												3 years
Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												20 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												3 years
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												12 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												3 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												15 years
Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												1 year
Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life												10 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Remaining Amortization Period												3 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Remaining Amortization Period												15 years
Trademarks [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Remaining Amortization Period												20 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Remaining Amortization Period												3 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Remaining Amortization Period												18 years