| **Segment Reporting (Tables)**                         | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
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| **Segment Reporting [Abstract]**                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Schedule of selected financial information, by segment |   Truck(A) Engine(A)(B) Parts FinancialServices(C) CorporateandEliminations Total(in millions)            October 31, 2011            External sales and revenues, net $9,690 $2,101 $1,967 $200 $— $13,958Intersegment sales and revenues 48 1,690 188 91 (2,017) —Total sales and revenues, net $9,738 $3,791 $2,155 $291 $(2,017) $13,958Net income attributable to NIC $336 $84 $287 $129 $887 $1,723Income tax benefit — — — — 1,458 1,458Segment profit (loss) $336 $84 $287 $129 $(571) $265Depreciation and amortization $151 $120 $9 $28 $20 $328Interest expense — — — 109 138 247Equity in income (loss) of non-consolidated affiliates (73) (4) 6 — — (71)Segment assets 2,771 1,849 700 3,580 3,391 12,291Capital expenditures(D) 83 172 19 2 153 429  Truck(A) Engine(A) Parts FinancialServices(C) CorporateandEliminations Total(in millions)            October 31, 2010            External sales and revenues, net $8,205 $2,031 $1,690 $219 $— $12,145Intersegment sales and revenues 2 955 195 90 (1,242) —Total sales and revenues, net $8,207 $2,986 $1,885 $309 $(1,242) $12,145Net income (loss) attributable to NIC $424 $51 $266 $95 $(613) $223Income tax expense — — — — (23) (23)Segment profit (loss) $424 $51 $266 $95 $(590) $246Depreciation and amortization $160 $106 $7 $28 $15 $316Interest expense — — — 113 140 253Equity in income (loss) of non-consolidated affiliates (51) (2) 3 — — (50)Segment assets 2,457 1,715 811 3,497 1,250 9,730Capital expenditures 82 116 8 2 26 234  Truck Engine Parts FinancialServices(C) CorporateandEliminations Total(in millions)            October 31, 2009            External sales and revenues, net $7,294 $2,031 $1,975 $269 $— $11,569Intersegment sales and revenues 3 659 198 79 (939) —Total sales and revenues, net $7,297 $2,690 $2,173 $348 $(939) $11,569Net income (loss) attributable to NIC $147 $253 $436 $40 $(556) $320Income tax expense — — — — (37) (37)Segment profit (loss) $147 $253 $436 $40 $(519) $357Depreciation and amortization $178 $118 $7 $25 $16 $344Interest expense — — — 161 90 251Equity in income (loss) of non-consolidated affiliates (5) 45 6 — — 46Segment assets 2,660 1,517 664 4,136 1,051 10,028Capital expenditures(D) 65 56 13 3 14 151_______________ (A)See Note 2, Restructurings and impairments, for further discussion. (B)In 2011, the Engine segment recognized a $10 million gain on the extinguishment of a liability related to an equipment financing transaction.  Previously, such gains were not material and were recorded in Corporate.(C)Total sales and revenues in the Financial Services segment include interest revenues of $285 million, $270 million, and $304 million for 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively. (D)Exclusive of purchases of equipment leased to others. |
| Schedule of segment assets                             | Information concerning principal geographic areas for the years ended October 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009 is as follows:  2011 2010 2009(in millions)     Sales and revenues:     United States$9,098 $8,728 $9,762Canada1,071 1,006 748Mexico1,550 609 467Brazil1,190 961 638Other1,049 841 454 2011 2010(in millions)   Long-lived assets:(A)   United States$1,340 $1,277Canada83 126Mexico152 148Brazil519 476Other29 1__________________________(A)Long-lived assets consist of Property and equipment, net, Goodwill, and Intangible assets, net.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of all significant reconciling items in the reconciliation of total assets from reportable segments to the entity's consolidated assets.
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the profit or loss and total assets for each reportable segment. An entity discloses certain information on each reportable segment if the amounts (a) are included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) are otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss.
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