Earnings (Loss) Per Share Attributable to Navistar International Corporation - Narrative (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 05, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Oct. 31, 2009 $ / shares	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jan. 31, 2015 shares	Apr. 30, 2014 shares	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Oct. 31, 2015 shares	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Apr. 30, 2015 shares
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount						15,000,000	15,700,000	24,800,000
Shares related to warrants								6,400,000
Shares of Warrants Unwound				1,939,376	6,523,319
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues | $								$ (5,000,000)
Three Point Zero Percent Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares related to convertible notes								4,500,000
Shares of Warrants Unwound				1,939,376	6,523,319
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding									2,900,000
Three Point Zero Percent Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] | Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio						19.891
Debt Instrument Convertible Conversion Ratio Basis | $						$ 1,000
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Strike Price | $ / shares		$ 50.27
Investment Warrants, Exercise Price | $ / shares						$ 60.14
Four Point Five Zero Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares related to convertible notes			3,400,000			3,400,000	3,400,000	3,400,000
Four Point Five Zero Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] | Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio			17.1233
Debt Instrument Convertible Conversion Ratio Basis | $			$ 1,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price | $ / shares			$ 58.40			$ 58.40
Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio			18.4946
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Strike Price | $ / shares			$ 54.07
Shares related to convertible notes			7,600,000			7,600,000	7,600,000	5,700,000
Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member] | Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Convertible Conversion Ratio Basis | $			$ 1,000
Volkswagen Truck and Bus GmbH [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	16,200,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues | $	$ 256,000,000
Share Price | $ / shares	$ 15.76
Stock Purchase Agreement, Ownership Percentage Transferred to Acquirer	19.90%
Stock Purchase Agreement, Ownership Percentage Transferred to Acquirer, Pro Forma	16.60%