Income Taxes - Income Tax Examinations (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
U.S. Federal Tax Jurisdiction [Member]
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2008 and prior
Brazil
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2004 and prior
France
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2007 and prior
Germany
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2004 and prior	[1]
Hungary
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2008 and prior
Italy
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2006 and prior
Japan
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2009 and prior
South Korea
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2006 and prior
Spain
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2005 and prior
United Kingdom
Major tax payer in tax Jurisdiction
Years no longer subject to examination	2009 and prior

[1] *In Germany, the open tax years for the Company's BERU subsidiary are from 2003 and forward