| **Debt (Tables)**              | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
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| **Debt Disclosure [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Debt                           |  April 30, 2012 October 31, 2011(in millions)   Manufacturing operations   8.25% Senior Notes, due 2021, net of unamortized discount of $29 and $33, respectively$871 $9673.0% Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes, due 2014, net of unamortized discount of $62 and $73, respectively508 497Debt of majority-owned dealerships84 94Financing arrangements and capital lease obligations155 118Loan Agreement related to 6.5% Tax Exempt Bonds, due 2040225 225Promissory Note36 40Asset-Based Credit Facility100 —Other49 39Total manufacturing operations debt2,028 1,980Less: Current portion230 99Net long-term manufacturing operations debt$1,798 $1,881Financial Services operations   Asset-backed debt issued by consolidated SPEs, at variable rates, due serially through 2018$1,284 $1,664Bank revolvers, at fixed and variable rates, due dates from 2013 through 20171,060 1,072Commercial paper, at variable rates, due serially through 201259 70Borrowings secured by operating and finance leases, at various rates, due serially through 201766 70Total financial services operations debt2,469 2,876Less: Current portion1,279 1,280Net long-term financial services operations debt$1,190 $1,596 |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of information pertaining to short-term and long-debt instruments or arrangements, including but not limited to identification of terms, features, collateral requirements and other information necessary to a fair presentation.
+ References
No definition available.
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