| **Debt (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | Oct. 31, 2011 | Oct. 31, 2010 | Oct. 31, 2011Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Senior Notes [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Senior Notes [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2009Senior Notes [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Debt Of Majority-Owned Dealerships [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Financing Arrangements and Capital Lease Obligations [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Financing Arrangements and Capital Lease Obligations [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Other [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Other [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Asset-Backed Debt [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Asset-Backed Debt [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Tax Exempt Bond [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Tax Exempt Bond [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Bank Revolvers [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Bank Revolvers [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Commercial Paper [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Commercial Paper [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010Borrowings Secured By Operating and Finance Leases [Member]Financial Services [Member] | Oct. 31, 2011NC2 Global, LLC [Member]Promissory Note [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Sep. 30, 2011NC2 Global, LLC [Member]Promissory Note [Member]Manufacturing [Member] | Oct. 31, 2010NC2 Global, LLC [Member]Promissory Note [Member]Manufacturing [Member] |
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| **Long-term Debt, by Current and Noncurrent [Abstract]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |          |          |                                |                                     |                                     |                                     |                                                          |                                                     |                                                     |                                                                              |                                                                              |                                                                           |                                                                           |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                              |                                              |                                                               |                                                               |                                                        |                                                        |                                                            |                                                            |                                                              |                                                              |                                                                                                |                                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |   |   |
| Long-term debt                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | $ 4,856       |          | $ 1,980                             | [1]                                 | $ 1,986                                  | $ 2,876                                  | [2]                                                      | $ 2,884                                                  | $ 967                                                    | $ 965                                                                             |                                                                              | $ 497                                                                          | $ 476                                                                          | $ 94                                                                                             | $ 66                                                                                             | $ 118                                             | $ 221                                             | $ 39                                                               | $ 33                                                               | $ 1,664                                                     | $ 1,731                                                     | $ 225                                                           | $ 225                                                           | $ 1,072                                                           | $ 974                                                             | $ 70                                                                                                | $ 67                                                                                                | $ 70                                                                                | $ 112                                                                               | $ 40                                                                                | $ 40 | $ 0 |
| Stated interest rate                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |          |          |                                |                                     |                                     |                                     |                                                          |                                                     | 8.25%                                                    |                                                                              |                                                                              | 3.00%                                                                          |                                                                           |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                              |                                              |                                                               |                                                               |                                                        |                                                        | 6.50%                                                           |                                                            |                                                              |                                                              |                                                                                                |                                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |   |   |
| Unamortized discount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 106           |          | 106                                 | [1]                                 |                                     | 0                                        | [2]                                                      |                                                     | 33                                                       | 35                                                                                | 37                                                                                | 73                                                                             | 94                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                              |                                              |                                                               |                                                               |                                                        |                                                        |                                                            |                                                            |                                                              |                                                              |                                                                                                |                                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |   |   |
| Less: Current portion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | (1,379)       | (632)         | 99                                  |                                     | 145                                      | 1,280                                    |                                                          | 487                                                      |                                                     |                                                                              |                                                                              |                                                                           |                                                                           |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                              |                                              |                                                               |                                                               |                                                        |                                                        |                                                            |                                                            |                                                              |                                                              |                                                                                                |                                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |   |   |
| Net long-term debt                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | $ 3,477       | $ 4,238       | $ 1,881                             |                                     | $ 1,841                                  | $ 1,596                                  |                                                          | $ 2,397                                                  |                                                     |                                                                              |                                                                              |                                                                           |                                                                           |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                              |                                              |                                                               |                                                               |                                                        |                                                        |                                                            |                                                            |                                                              |                                                              |                                                                                                |                                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |                                                                                |   |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| [1]Amounts include the borrowing of $100 million under the Asset-Based Credit Facility in November 2011, reflected as being due in 2017.[2]Amounts reflect the NFC refinancing of its bank credit facility in December 2011 with a five-year revolving line of credit and term loan, totaling $840 million, which shifted certain debt maturities to be largely due in 2017. |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the sum of short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt and capital lease obligations, which are due within one year (or one business cycle if longer).
+ References
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|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.
+ References
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| - Definition
Including current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of long-term borrowings as of the balance sheet date. May include notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, which had initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer, and after deducting unamortized discount or premiums, if any.
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, but excluding the portions thereof scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date.
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