Restructuring (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) employee labor_union	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 10, 2015
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Finalization of severance agreements, number of labor unions | labor_union							3
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	$ 1.3			$ 9.3			$ 26.9	$ 41.3
Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	13.2	$ 14.0	$ 29.4	18.3	$ 35.2	$ 43.9	29.4	43.9
Provision	0.3	7.0	3.3	3.2	9.4	7.8
Cash payments	(4.0)	(7.5)	(19.6)	(9.6)	(27.6)	(11.6)
Translation adjustment	0.2	(0.3)	0.9	0.1	1.3	(4.9)
Ending Balance	9.7	13.2	14.0	12.0	18.3	35.2	9.7	12.0
Employee Severance [Member] | Drivetrain [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	7.9	11.0	25.3	16.1	33.9	41.9	25.3	41.9
Provision	0.3	2.4	2.3	0.4	6.8	7.4
Cash payments	(2.7)	(5.3)	(17.3)	(6.1)	(25.9)	(10.7)
Translation adjustment	0.1	(0.2)	0.7	0.1	1.3	(4.7)
Ending Balance	5.6	7.9	11.0	10.5	16.1	33.9	5.6	10.5
Employee Severance [Member] | Engine [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	5.3	3.0	4.1	2.2	1.3	2.0	4.1	2.0
Provision	0.0	4.6	1.0	2.8	2.6	0.4
Cash payments	(1.3)	(2.2)	(2.3)	(3.5)	(1.7)	(0.9)
Translation adjustment	0.1	(0.1)	0.2	0.0	0.0	(0.2)
Ending Balance	4.1	$ 5.3	$ 3.0	1.5	$ 2.2	$ 1.3	4.1	1.5
Remy International Inc.
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination benefits	0.3						2.0
Other expense							3.1
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	$ 1.3						6.1
Corporate and Other [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision				3.0				15.1
Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG and its general partner
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination benefits				2.4			4.1	4.5
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision				2.4			$ 9.6	5.0
Drivetrain [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee termination costs, number of employees | employee							450
Employee termination benefits				0.4			$ 3.0	13.6
Other expense				3.1			5.2	5.1
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision				$ 3.5			$ 8.2	$ 18.7
Remy International Inc.
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Equity interest acquired									100.00%