Debt - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($) Days	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2010 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Coupon Rate, Increase (Decrease)					0.0675		0.0650
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months			$ 954,000,000								$ 954,000,000
Amortization											2,000,000	$ 3,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease) for Period, Description					1.7
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries													220,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			58,000,000								58,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage						1.50%
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs											41,000,000	29,000,000	16,000,000
Long-term Debt			5,467,000,000								5,467,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of securitized debt											339,000,000	322,000,000	413,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two			1,003,000,000								1,003,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three			267,000,000								267,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four			57,000,000								57,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five			30,000,000								30,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Rolling after Year Five			3,214,000,000								3,214,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross			$ 5,525,000,000								5,525,000,000
Payments to subsidiary to meet convenant requirement											$ 0	0	0
Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio			18.4946
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Strike Price | $ / shares											$ 54.07
Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months			$ 467,000,000								$ 467,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			46,000,000								46,000,000
Long-term Debt			3,426,000,000								3,426,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two			41,000,000								41,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three			80,000,000								80,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four			31,000,000								31,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five			20,000,000								20,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Rolling after Year Five			2,833,000,000								2,833,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross			3,472,000,000								3,472,000,000
Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months			487,000,000								487,000,000
Pledged Assets, Other, Not Separately Reported on Statement of Financial Position			1,400,000,000								1,400,000,000	1,100,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			12,000,000								12,000,000
Long-term Debt			2,041,000,000								2,041,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two			962,000,000								962,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three			187,000,000								187,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four			26,000,000								26,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five			10,000,000								10,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Rolling after Year Five			381,000,000								381,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross			2,053,000,000								2,053,000,000
Financial Services Operations | VFN Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity					$ 350,000,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount					425,000,000											$ 450,000,000		$ 500,000,000
Financial Services Operations | Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 82,000,000
Amortization				$ 1,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount				2,000,000
Gross maximum borrowing capacity				400,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Line of Credit Arrangements, Gross				4,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Financial Services Operations | Bank Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	275,000,000	$ 500,000,000	21,000,000	$ 269,000,000							21,000,000	127,000,000					$ 400,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Accordion Feature, Higher Borrowing Capacity Option																	$ 700,000,000
Term Loan [Member] | Financial Services Operations | Bank Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt												75,000,000
Installment Payments Set Two [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Financial Services Operations | Bank Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal	$ 2,000,000	$ 9,000,000
Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt					16,000,000
Term Loan [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit					1,600,000,000
Amortization					4,000,000
Long-term Debt			1,570,000,000								1,570,000,000	0
Asset-Based Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity																						$ 175,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity												125,000,000
Debt Instrument, Liquidity Block																						13,000,000
Long-term Line of Credit			0								0	0
Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity																						$ 1,000,000,000
Line of Credit [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			0								0	7,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			0								0	9,000,000
Long-term Debt			0								0	1,003,000,000
Line of Credit [Member] | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			2,000,000								2,000,000	2,000,000
Long-term Debt			519,000,000								519,000,000	616,000,000
Notes Payable to Banks [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			1,083,000,000								1,083,000,000	0
Notes Issued					1,100,000,000
Notes Payable to Banks [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Eight Point Two Five Percent Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount							$ 250,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			0								0	13,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			$ 0								$ 0	14,000,000
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs					$ 30,000,000	$ 4,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			8.25%				8.51%				8.25%
Long-term Debt			$ 0								$ 0	1,423,000,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			1,000,000								1,000,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Threshold Consecutive Trading Days | Days									30
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Four Point Five Zero Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount										$ 200,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			0								0	5,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			$ 0								$ 0	1,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			4.50%							4.50%	4.50%
Proceeds from Convertible Debt										$ 196,000,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs										3,000,000
Issuance Costs										$ 1,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value									$ 177,000,000
Long-term Debt			$ 0								$ 0	194,000,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount									411,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount			5,000,000								5,000,000	14,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			$ 1,000,000								$ 1,000,000	3,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt									402,000,000
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs									$ 9,000,000
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage									100.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			4.75%								4.75%
Long-term Debt, Fair Value									$ 367,000,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component			$ 44,000,000						$ 22,000,000		$ 44,000,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Threshold Percentage of Stock Price Trigger									130.00%
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Measurement Period, Trading Days, Ending | Days									10
Long-term Debt			405,000,000								405,000,000	394,000,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			26,000,000								26,000,000	43,000,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			300,000,000					$ 300,000,000			300,000,000		$ 300,000,000		$ 250,000,000				$ 250,000,000
Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] | Financial Services Operations | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Term								2 years
Financed lease obligations [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			122,000,000								122,000,000	130,000,000
Tax Exempt Bond [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																							$ 225,000,000
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			$ 5,000,000								5,000,000	5,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt											$ 0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			6.50%								6.50%			6.50%
Long-term Debt			$ 220,000,000								$ 220,000,000	220,000,000
Tax Exempt Bond [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Illinois Finance Authority Recovery Zone Facility Revenue Bond [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																							135,000,000
Tax Exempt Bond [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | County of Cook Recovery Zone Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																							$ 90,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Eight Point Two Five Percent Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			1,450,000,000								1,450,000,000
Secured Debt [Member] | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Issuance Costs, Net			4,000,000								4,000,000	5,000,000
Long-term Debt			948,000,000								948,000,000	$ 849,000,000
Base Rate [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate							2.50%
Base Rate [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate												3.00%
Eurodollar [Member] | Term Loan [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate							3.50%
Eurodollar [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate												4.00%
Minimum [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Threshold Trading Days | Days									20
Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Six [Member] | Tax Exempt Bond [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage														100.00%
Other Noncurrent Assets [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs									$ 8,000,000
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member] | Four Point Seven Five Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Related Commitment Fees and Debt Issuance Costs									$ 1,000,000
United States Dollars and Mexican Pesos [Member] | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			498,000,000								498,000,000	$ 414,000,000
Mexico, Pesos
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commercial Paper			$ 3,000,000,000								$ 3,000,000,000									$ 1,800,000,000
Mexico, Pesos | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, percentage of borrowings denominated in countries currency			72.00%								72.00%	65.00%
United States of America, Dollars
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commercial Paper			$ 91,000,000								$ 91,000,000
United States of America, Dollars | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, percentage of borrowings denominated in countries currency			28.00%								28.00%	35.00%
International Truck Leasing Corporation [Member] | Financial Services Operations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of securitized debt											$ 38,000,000	$ 31,000,000
Secured Debt			$ 105,000,000								105,000,000	94,000,000
Loans Pledged as Collateral			$ 125,000,000								$ 125,000,000	117,000,000
Navistar Financial Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance, Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Maximum			125.00%								125.00%
Interest Rate Floor [Member] | Financed lease obligations [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage																					3.98%
Interest Rate Cap [Member] | Financed lease obligations [Member] | Manufacturing Operations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage																					12.52%
Affiliated Entity [Member] | NFM [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt			$ 31,000,000								$ 31,000,000	$ 67,000,000