Condensed Consolidating Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Sales and revenues, net	$ 2,063	$ 2,086	$ 2,197	$ 1,765	$ 2,488	$ 2,538	$ 2,693	$ 2,421	$ 8,111	$ 10,140	$ 10,806
Costs of products sold									6,812	8,670	9,534
Restructuring charges									10	76	42
Asset impairment charges									27	30	183
All other operating expenses (income)									1,300	1,473	1,612
Total costs and expenses									8,149	10,249	11,371
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									6	6	9
Income (loss) before income taxes									(32)	(103)	(556)
Income tax expense									(33)	(51)	(26)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(34)	(34)	4	(33)	(51)	(30)	(64)	(42)	(65)	(154)	(582)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	3	3
Net income (loss)	$ (34)	$ (34)	$ 4	$ (33)	$ (50)	$ (28)	$ (64)	$ (42)	(65)	(151)	(579)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									32	33	40
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent									(136)	(522)	(1,058)
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(97)	(184)	(619)
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)									101	88	(48)
Total costs and expenses									101	88	(48)
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									4	(96)	(680)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(97)	(184)	(632)
Income tax expense									0	0	13
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(97)	(184)	(619)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(97)	(184)	(619)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent									(136)	(522)	(1,058)
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(97)	(184)	(619)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									5,926	7,267	7,269
Costs of products sold									5,358	6,614	6,794
Restructuring charges									3	50	8
Asset impairment charges									11	13	16
All other operating expenses (income)									862	1,054	1,003
Total costs and expenses									6,234	7,731	7,821
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									181	225	(169)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(127)	(239)	(721)
Income tax expense									20	1	25
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(107)	(238)	(696)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(107)	(238)	(696)
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent									(106)	(430)	(1,093)
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									(107)	(238)	(696)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									5,432	7,413	8,196
Costs of products sold									4,628	6,510	7,337
Restructuring charges									7	26	34
Asset impairment charges									16	17	167
All other operating expenses (income)									398	399	541
Total costs and expenses									5,049	6,952	8,079
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									2	2	5
Income (loss) before income taxes									385	463	122
Income tax expense									(55)	(52)	(64)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									330	411	58
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	3	3
Net income (loss)									330	414	61
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									32	33	40
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent									258	235	(21)
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									298	381	21
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Sales and revenues, net									(3,247)	(4,540)	(4,659)
Costs of products sold									(3,174)	(4,454)	(4,597)
Restructuring charges									0	0	0
Asset impairment charges									0	0	0
All other operating expenses (income)									(61)	(68)	116
Total costs and expenses									(3,235)	(4,522)	(4,481)
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates									(181)	(125)	853
Income (loss) before income taxes									(193)	(143)	675
Income tax expense									2	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations									(191)	(143)	675
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(191)	(143)	675
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent									(152)	195	1,114
Net income (loss) attributable to Navistar International Corporation									$ (191)	$ (143)	$ 675