Earnings (Loss) Per Share Attributable to Navistar International Corporation - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2017 shares	Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jul. 31, 2017 shares	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares	Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($) shares
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		6.75%			6.75%
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount | shares		13.2	14.6		13.3	14.7
Issuance of common stock | $					$ 0	$ 256,000,000
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 | shares		3.4			3.4
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 | shares			7.6		7.6
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 | shares	16.2
Issuance of common stock | $				$ 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%
Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Four Point Five Zero Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.50%			4.50%
Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.75%			4.75%