Stockholders' Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended									9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 05, 2016	Oct. 31, 2009	Oct. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Jul. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding			81,600,000				81,500,000						81,600,000	81,500,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues															$ (5)
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized			30,000,000										30,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued			0										0
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Beginning Balance						$ (2,601)				$ (2,263)			$ (2,601)	$ (2,263)	(1,824)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications													(170)	(469)	(542)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss													131	131	103
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)													(39)	(338)	(439)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Ending Balance			$ (2,640)				$ (2,601)						(2,640)	(2,601)	(2,263)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Total before tax			$ 34	$ 34	$ (4)	33	$ 51	$ 30	$ 64	42			65	154	582
Tax expense													(33)	(51)	(26)
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation													$ (97)	$ (184)	(619)
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share			$ 1										$ 1
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			$ 101										$ 101
Common stock, shares authorized			220,000,000				220,000,000						220,000,000	220,000,000
Common stock, par value			$ 0.10				$ 0.10						$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Accumulated Net Unrealized Investment Gain (Loss) [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Beginning Balance						1				1			$ 1	$ 1	0
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications													0	0	1
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss													0	0	0
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)													0	0	1
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Ending Balance			$ 1				$ 1						1	1	1
Accumulated Translation Adjustment [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Beginning Balance						(287)				(127)			(287)	(127)	(75)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications													7	(160)	(52)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss													0	0	0
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)													7	(160)	(52)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Ending Balance			(280)				(287)						(280)	(287)	(127)
Pension Benefits
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Beginning Balance						$ (2,315)				$ (2,137)			(2,315)	(2,137)	(1,749)
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications													(177)	(309)	(491)
Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss													131	131	103
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)													(46)	(178)	(388)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Ending Balance			$ (2,361)				$ (2,315)						(2,361)	(2,315)	(2,137)
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] | Pension Benefits
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Amortization of prior service costs (benefit)													(1)	(4)	(4)
Amortization of actuarial loss													133	136	109
Total before tax													132	132	105
Tax expense													(1)	(1)	(2)
Reclassification from AOCI, Current Period, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent													$ 131	$ 131	$ 103
Preference Stock [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized												10,000,000
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share			$ 1.00									$ 1.00	$ 1.00
Convertible Junior Preference Stock Series D [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share												1
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding			70,182				70,282						70,182	70,282
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share												$ 25
Convertible Preferred Stock, Shares Issued upon Conversion												0.3125
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage												120.00%
Three Point Zero Percent Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants												$ 87
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Tax expense											$ 13
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Four Point Five Zero Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Fair Value																$ 177
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component																22
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount																$ 1
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Fair Value											367
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component											44
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount											$ 1
Call Option [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Three Point Zero Percent Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Payments for Derivative Instrument, Investing Activities		$ 125
Volkswagen Truck and Bus GmbH [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Stock Purchase Agreement, Ownership Percentage Transferred to Acquirer, Pro Forma	16.60%
Stock Purchase Agreement, Ownership Percentage Transferred to Acquirer	19.90%
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	16,200,000
Share Price	$ 15.76
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 256
Maximum [Member] | Volkswagen Truck and Bus GmbH [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
Stock Purchase Agreement, Ownership Percentage Transferred to Acquirer	20.00%