| **Restructuring**                                   | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         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| **Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        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| Restructurings                                      | Restructurings and ImpairmentsEngineering IntegrationIn the first quarter of 2011, the Company committed to a plan for the consolidation of the truck and engine engineering operations as well as the relocation of our world headquarters. The restructuring charges recorded are based on restructuring plans that have been committed to by management and are, in part, based upon management's best estimates of future events. Changes to the estimates may require future adjustments to the restructuring liabilities. The Company is utilizing proceeds from the October 2010 loan agreement related to the 6.5% Tax Exempt Bonds due 2040 to finance the relocation of the Company’s world headquarters and engineering center, the expansion of an existing warehouse facility, and the development of certain industrial facilities to facilitate the consolidation of certain operations. In the first quarter of 2011, the Company finalized the purchase of the property and buildings for the consolidation of the truck and engine engineering operations, as well as the relocation of our world headquarters. The Company continues to develop plans for efficient transitions related to these activities and the optimization of the operations and management structure. In the three months ended April 30, 2012, the Company vacated the premises of its former world headquarters in Warrenville, Illinois and recorded a charge of $16 million, consisting of $19 million for the recognition of the fair value of the lease vacancy obligation, partially offset by $3 million for the reversal of deferred rent expense. This charge was recorded in Corporate and recognized in Restructuring charges. The cash payments associated with the lease vacancy obligation are expected to be completed by the end of 2016.In the first quarter of 2011, the Company committed to a plan to wind-down and transfer certain operations at the Fort Wayne facility. As a result of the restructuring activities, the Truck segment recognized $32 million of restructuring charges to date, of which $3 million was recognized during the three and six months ended April 30, 2012 and $19 million was recognized during the six months ended April 30, 2011. To date, the restructuring charges consist of $13 million in personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits, $7 million of charges for pension and other postretirement contractual termination benefits, and $12 million of employee relocation costs. We anticipate additional engineering integration charges to range between $45 million and $65 million through 2013.North American Manufacturing Restructuring Activities and Impairments of Intangible AssetsIn the third quarter of 2011, the Company committed to plans for the restructuring of certain North American manufacturing operations. The restructuring charges recorded are based on restructuring plans that have been committed to by management and are, in part, based upon management's best estimates of future events. Changes to the estimates may require future adjustments to the restructuring liabilities. Chatham restructuring activitiesIn the third quarter of 2011, the Company committed to close its Chatham, Ontario heavy truck plant, which has been idled since June 2009 due to an inability to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers ("CAW"). Under the Company's flexible manufacturing strategy, products previously built in Chatham were transitioned to other assembly plants in North America. The commitment to close the plant was also driven by economic, industry, and operational conditions that rendered the plant uncompetitive. As a result of the restructuring activities, the Truck segment has recognized $48 million of restructuring charges since these actions were commenced, substantially all of which were recognized during the three months ended July 31, 2011. To date, the restructuring charges consisted of $7 million in personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits, $33 million of charges for pension and other postretirement statutory and contractual termination benefits and related charges, and $8 million of other costs. Ultimate pension and postretirement costs and termination benefits are subject to employee negotiation and acceptance rates. We anticipate additional charges of $30 million to $70 million in future periods. We expect the restructuring charges, excluding pension and other postretirement costs, will be paid over the next year.Custom Products restructuring and impairment of intangible assetsIn the third quarter of 2011, the Company committed to a restructuring plan of its Workhorse Custom Chassis ("WCC") and Monaco RV ("Monaco") recreational vehicles operations (collectively "Custom Products"), including the closure of the Union City, Indiana chassis facility and the wind-down and transfer of certain operations at the RV motor coach plant in Coburg, Oregon. In the second quarter of 2012, the Company decided to discontinue accepting orders for its WCC business and take certain actions to idle the business, which are expected to occur in late 2012. As a result of these restructuring activities relating to Custom Products, the Truck segment has recognized $10 million of restructuring charges to date, of which $5 million was recognized in each of the third and fourth quarters of 2011. To date, the restructuring charges consisted of $6 million in personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits and $4 million of charges due to a curtailment of other postretirement employee benefit plan and postretirement contractual termination benefits. These actions are expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The Company also expects the restructuring charges, excluding other postretirement costs, will be paid over the next two years.In the third quarter of 2011, the Truck segment recognized $51 million of charges for impairments of intangible assets, primarily customer relationships and trade names, associated with the WCC asset group. The asset group was reviewed for recoverability by comparing the carrying value to estimated future undiscounted cash flows and those carrying values were determined to not be fully recoverable. We utilized the income and market approaches to determine the fair value of the asset group. The impairment charges for the asset group reflected market deterioration and reduction in demand below previously anticipated levels. As a result of the decision in the second quarter of 2012 to idle the WCC business, the WCC asset group was again reviewed for recoverability and determined not to be recoverable. We determined that the remaining intangible asset balances were fully impaired, and the Truck segment recognized asset impairment charges of $28 million. In addition, the Parts segment recognized a charge of $10 million for the impairment of certain intangible assets of the parts distribution operations related to the WCC business.OtherIn the first quarter of 2011, certain employees at our Springfield Assembly Plant accepted retirement and separation incentive agreements. As a result, the Truck segment recorded $4 million of employee termination charges. Reconciliation of Restructuring LiabilityThe following table summarizes the activity for the six months ended April 30, 2012 in the restructuring liability, which excludes pension and other postretirement contractual termination benefits: Balance atOctober 31, 2011 Additions Payments Adjustments Balance atApril 30, 2012(in millions)         Employee termination charges$31 $2 $(4) $(3) $26Employee relocation costs— 4 (4) — —Lease vacancy— 19 (1) — 18Other8 1 (7) — 2Restructuring liability$39 $26 $(16) $(3) $46The following table summarizes the activity for the six months ended April 30, 2011, in the restructuring liability, which excludes pension and other postretirement contractual termination benefits charges, and the pension curtailment: Balance atOctober 31, 2010 Additions Payments Adjustments Balance at   April 30, 2011(in millions)         Employee termination charges$5 $17 $(4) $— $18Employee relocation costs— 1 (1) — —Restructuring liability$5 $18 $(5) $— $18 |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for restructuring and related activities. Description of restructuring activities such as exit and disposal activities, include facts and circumstances leading to the plan, the expected plan completion date, the major types of costs associated with the plan activities, total expected costs, the accrual balance at the end of the period, and the periods over which the remaining accrual will be settled.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.P.4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394695&loc=d3e140904-122747Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 146 -Paragraph 20 -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 SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section P -Subsection 3, 4Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.P.3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394695&loc=d3e140864-122747
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