Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Apr. 04, 2015 Segment	Mar. 29, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	5us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Product Sales	$ 592,323us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 601,040us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Royalty Revenues	1,113us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue	1,338us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue
Total Revenue	593,436us-gaap_Revenues	602,378us-gaap_Revenues
Gross Margin	145,038us-gaap_GrossProfit	145,283us-gaap_GrossProfit
Segment Operating Income	47,558vsh_SegmentOperatingIncome	42,572vsh_SegmentOperatingIncome
Restructuring and severance Costs	(1,410)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(6,404)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
MOSFETS Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	106,759	113,113
Royalty Revenues	11	28
Total Revenue	106,770	113,141
Gross Margin	13,758	12,617
Diodes Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	136,511	136,929
Royalty Revenues	0	0
Total Revenue	136,511	136,929
Gross Margin	29,890	29,765
Optoelectronic Components Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	68,625	57,498
Royalty Revenues	0	0
Total Revenue	68,625	57,498
Gross Margin	22,183	21,237
Resistors And Inductors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	186,392	187,989
Royalty Revenues	1,102	1,310
Total Revenue	187,494	189,299
Gross Margin	58,849	60,120
Capacitors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	94,036	105,511
Royalty Revenues	0	0
Total Revenue	94,036	105,511
Gross Margin	20,358	21,544
Operating Segments [Member] \| MOSFETS Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	4,527	2,487
Operating Segments [Member] \| Diodes Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	23,485	23,058
Operating Segments [Member] \| Optoelectronic Components Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	17,087	17,404
Operating Segments [Member] \| Resistors And Inductors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	49,525	50,336
Operating Segments [Member] \| Capacitors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	14,564	15,341
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and severance Costs	(1,410)	(6,404)
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] \| Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	$ (60,220)	$ (59,650)

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