Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2020 USD ($) employees	Jul. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2020 USD ($) employees segments	Oct. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification of stranded tax effects										$ 0
Asset impairment charges										28	$ 7	$ 14
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities										(217)	(68)	(66)
Operating lease right of use assets		$ 119								119
Total lease liabilities		122								122
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Current		(273)				$ (338)				$ (273)	(338)
Number of Reportable Segments | segments										4
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit)										$ 74	263	105
Less: Intercompany revenues										40	104	97
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax										(5)	4	2
Advertising Expense										17	31	31
Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)										40	3	(9)
Inventory, Net		(763)				(911)				(763)	(911)
Other current assets		263				277				263	277
Assets, Current		4,577				4,952				4,577	4,952
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net		(1,298)				(1,309)				(1,298)	(1,309)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		(117)				(117)				(117)	(117)
Other Assets, Noncurrent		(115)				(107)				(115)	(107)
Assets		(6,637)				(6,917)				(6,637)	(6,917)
Debt, Current		(640)				(871)				(640)	(871)
Other current liabilities		1,453				1,363				1,453	1,363
Liabilities, Current		(3,371)				(3,575)				(3,371)	(3,575)
Long-term Debt and Lease Obligation		(4,690)				(4,317)				(4,690)	(4,317)
Other noncurrent liabilities		693				645				693	645
Liabilities		(10,459)				(10,640)				(10,459)	(10,640)
Stockholders’ equity (deficit) attributable to Navistar International Corporation		(3,826)				(3,726)				(3,826)	(3,726)
Liabilities and Equity		(6,637)				(6,917)				(6,637)	(6,917)
Cost of Goods and Services Sold										(6,221)	(9,245)	(8,317)
Interest Expense										(268)	(312)	(327)
Income tax expense										59	(19)	(52)
Net income (loss)		(236)	$ (37)	$ (38)	$ (36)	102	$ 156	$ (48)	$ 11	(329)	243	368
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents		$ 1,973				1,557				$ 1,973	1,557	1,445		$ 840
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number Of Employees Hourly Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees		6,500								6,500
concentration risk number of employees percentage		98.00%								98.00%
Unionized Employees Concentration Risk [Member] | Number of Employees Salaried Workers [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration Risk Number Of Employees | employees		700								700
concentration risk number of employees percentage		13.00%								13.00%
Navistar Defense [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Less: Intercompany revenues										$ 48	57
Accounts Receivable, Related Parties		$ 8				29				8	29
Equity Interest, Percent Sold	70.00%
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	$ 140
North America Truck [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets		(1,619)				(1,705)				(1,619)	(1,705)
Interest Expense										0	0	0
Income tax expense										0	0	0
Financial Services Operations
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets		(2,191)				(2,774)				(2,191)	(2,774)
Long-term Debt and Lease Obligation		$ (1,239)				$ (1,417)				(1,239)	(1,417)
Interest Expense										(69)	(105)	(92)
Income tax expense										$ 0	0	0
Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Coverage Period										1 year
Related party ownership percentage		30.00%								30.00%
Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Product Warranty Coverage Period										5 years
Related party ownership percentage		50.00%								50.00%
TRATON AG [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Less: Intercompany revenues										$ 122	$ 157	146
Related party ownership percentage						16.80%					16.80%
Costs and Expenses, Related Party										48	$ 37	27
Accounts Receivable, Related Parties		$ 18								18		13
Accounts Payable, Related Parties		$ 90				$ 55				90	$ 55
Navistar Defense [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Related party ownership percentage						30.00%					30.00%
Accounting Standard Update 2017-07 [Member] | Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other Expenses												94
Forecast [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Minimum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Total lease liabilities													$ 125
Forecast [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] | Maximum
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Total lease liabilities													$ 160
Accumulated Deficit
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Reclassification of stranded tax effects										192
Net income (loss)										$ (347)	$ 221	$ 340