| **Summary of significant accounting policies (Tables)** | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
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| **Accounting Policies [Abstract]**                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| Product Warranty Liability                              | Product Warranty LiabilityAccrued product warranty and deferred warranty revenue activity is as follows:  Six Months Ended April 30, 2012 2011(in millions)   Balance, at beginning of period$598 $506Costs accrued and revenues deferred236 175Adjustments to pre-existing warranties(A)227 36Payments and revenues recognized(217) (187)Balance, at end of period844 530Less: Current portion365 240Noncurrent accrued product warranty and deferred warranty revenue$479 $290_________________________(A)Adjustments to pre-existing warranties reflect changes in our estimate of warranty costs for products sold in prior periods. Such adjustments typically occur when claims experience deviates from historic and expected trends. Our warranty liability is generally affected by component failure rates, repair costs, and the timing of failures. Future events and circumstances related to these factors could materially change our estimates and require adjustments to our liability. In addition, new product launches require a greater use of judgment in developing estimates until historical experience becomes available. In the first quarter of 2012, we recorded adjustments for changes in estimates of $123 million, $119 million net of tax, or $1.70 per diluted share. In the second quarter of 2012, we recorded adjustments for changes in estimates of $104 million, $100 million net of tax, or $1.46 per diluted share. In the second quarter of 2011, we recorded adjustments for changes in estimates of $27 million, $24 million net of tax, or $0.31 per diluted share.The impact of income taxes on the adjustments reflect the Company's respective periods estimated annual effective tax rate as of April 30, 2012 and 2012, respectively.The amount of deferred revenue related to extended warranty programs was $308 million and $257 million at April 30, 2012 and October 31, 2011, respectively. Revenue recognized under our extended warranty programs was $16 million and $31 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2012, respectively, and $13 million and $25 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2011, respectively. In the second quarter of 2012, the Truck segment recognized a charge of $24 million, related to the extended warranty contracts on our 2010 emission standard MaxxForce Big-Bore engines. The majority of the change has been included in the adjustments to pre-existing warranties. |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability, including the beginning balance of the aggregate product warranty liability, the aggregate reductions in that liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) under the warranty, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to product warranties issued during the reporting period, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to preexisting warranties (including adjustments related to changes in estimates), and the ending balance of the aggregate product warranty liability.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number  -Article  -Subparagraph  -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 8 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249
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