| **Goodwill and other intangible assets, net (Tables)**                                          | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| **Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]**                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for each operating segment                           | Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for each operating segment are as follows:  Truck   Engine   Parts   Total  (in millions)       As of October 31, 2008$84 $175 $38 $297Impairments(2) — — (2)Currency translation— 36 — 36Adjustments(A)(7) (5) — (12)Dispositions(1) — — (1)As of October 31, 2009$74 $206 $38 $318Currency translation— 5 — 5Adjustments(A)— (6) — (6)Acquisitions7 — — 7As of October 31, 2010$81 $205 $38 $324Impairments— — — —Currency translation— 2 — 2Adjustments(A)— (7) — (7)Acquisitions— — — —As of October 31, 2011$81 $200 $38 $319_________________(A)Adjustments to goodwill primarily result from the tax benefit attributable to the amortization of tax deductible goodwill in excess of goodwill recorded for financial statement purposes as measured in the MWM International (“MWM”) balance sheet immediately after its acquisition in 2005. Goodwill was also reduced in 2008 due to the favorable tax settlement of a Brazilian court case. Goodwill in the Truck segment was reduced in 2009 as a result of an adjustment to our purchase price for WCC as a result of receipt of escrow payments for settlement of a dispute. |
| Intangible assets not subject to amortization                                                   | Information regarding our intangible assets that are not subject to amortization as of October 31 is as follows:  2011 2010(in millions)   Dealer franchise rights$7 $10Trademarks60 59Intangible assets not subject to amortization$67 $69                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Intangible assets subject to amortization                                                       | Information regarding our intangible assets that are subject to amortization at October 31, 2011 and 2010 is as follows: As of October 31, 2011 CustomerBase andRelationships  Trademarks SupplyAgreements  Other Total (in millions)         Gross carrying value $135 $17 $27 $87 $266Accumulated amortization (52) (1) (27) (19) (99)Net of amortization $83 $16 $— $68 $167As of October 31, 2010 CustomerBase andRelationships  Trademarks SupplyAgreements  Other Total (in millions)         Gross carrying value $194 $59 $27 $37 $317Accumulated amortization (69) (15) (27) (13) (124)Net of amortization $125 $44 $— $24 $193                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Total estimated amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years | Total estimated amortization expense for our finite-lived intangible assets for the next five years is as follows:  EstimatedAmortization  (in millions) 2012$26201325201424201519201618                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of amortizable intangibles assets, in total and by major class, including the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar, either by their nature or by their use in the operations of a company.
+ References
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the amount of amortization expense expected to be recorded in succeeding fiscal years for finite-lived intangible assets.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of goodwill by reportable segment and in total. Disclosure details may include, but are not limited to, the carrying amount of goodwill, goodwill acquired during the year, goodwill impairment losses recognized, goodwill written-off due to the sale of a business unit, goodwill not yet allocated, and any other changes to goodwill.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6905597&loc=d3e13854-109267Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6905597&loc=d3e13816-109267Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph c -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph e -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 47 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the carrying value of intangible assets not subject to amortization, excluding goodwill, in total and by major class. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar, either by their nature or by their use in the operations of the company.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6905858&loc=d3e16323-109275
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