Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) employees segments	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) employees segments	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax										$ 1	$ 17	$ 21
Advertising Expense										13	26	39
Costs of products sold										6,812	8,670	9,534
Net loss attributable to Navistar International Corporation										$ (97)	(184)	(619)
Number Of Segments | segments	4									4
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)										$ 1	7	7
Goodwill	$ 38			$ 38						38	38	38	$ 184
Sales of manufactured products, net										7,976	9,995	10,653
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization										225	281	332
Interest expense										327	307	314
Capital expenditures										116	115	88
Proceeds from financed lease obligations										22	33	60
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)										$ 77	1	55
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number Of Employees Hourly Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees	5,400									5,400
concentration risk number of employees percentage	82.00%									82.00%
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	6.00%									6.00%
Brazilian Reporting Unit [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)		$ 1			$ 3			$ 7
Goodwill								142
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)					$ 24			43
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)			$ 46	40		$ (57)	$ (29)	$ 42	$ 52
North America Truck [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)										$ 8	9
Goodwill	$ 0			0						0	0	0	$ 0
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization										129	173	216
Interest expense										0	0	0
Capital expenditures										97	92	65
Extended Warranty Programs [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred Revenue, Revenue Recognized										150	154	132
Deferred Revenue	$ 325			$ 401						$ 325	401	$ 437
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)										$ (1)	$ (3)