Basis of Presentation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jul. 01, 2017	Apr. 01, 2017	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 780,972	$ 673,462	$ 677,941	$ 643,164	$ 604,801	$ 2,258,797	$ 1,925,906	$ 2,599,368	$ 2,317,328
Costs of products sold	544,676	496,086	487,794	469,327	443,052	1,589,963	1,400,173	1,896,259	1,743,506
Gross profit	236,296	177,376	190,147	173,837	161,749	668,834	525,733	703,109	573,822
Operating Income	138,098	76,006	95,416	85,005	67,578	365,453	247,999	324,005	197,058
Total other income (expense)	(11,290)	(8,981)	(9,228)	(9,296)	(17,136)	(49,067)	(35,660)	(44,641)	(102,842)
Income before taxes	126,808	67,025	86,188	75,709	50,442	316,386	212,339	279,364	94,216
Income tax expense	48,737	244,526	21,605	19,300	13,493	72,508	54,398	298,924	44,843
Net earnings (loss)	78,071	(177,501)	64,583	56,409	36,949	243,878	157,941	(19,560)	49,373
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	195	156	179	219	230	539	628	784	581
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders	$ 77,876	(177,657)	64,404	56,190	36,719	$ 243,339	$ 157,313	(20,344)	48,792
Previously Reported [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues		674,489	677,883	644,892	606,258			2,603,522	2,323,431
Costs of products sold		497,988	488,610	471,929	445,383			1,903,910	1,753,648
Gross profit		176,501	189,273	172,963	160,875			699,612	569,783
Operating Income		72,536	92,328	82,036	64,688			311,588	101,717
Total other income (expense)		(5,511)	(6,140)	(6,327)	(14,246)			(32,224)	(7,501)
Income before taxes		67,025	86,188	75,709	50,442			279,364	94,216
Income tax expense		244,526	21,605	19,300	13,493			298,924	44,843
Net earnings (loss)		(177,501)	64,583	56,409	36,949			(19,560)	49,373
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		156	179	219	230			784	581
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders		(177,657)	64,404	56,190	36,719			(20,344)	48,792
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net revenues		(1,027)	58	(1,728)	(1,457)			(4,154)	(6,103)
Costs of products sold		(1,902)	(816)	(2,602)	(2,331)			(7,651)	(10,142)
Gross profit		875	874	874	874			3,497	4,039
Operating Income		3,470	3,088	2,969	2,890			12,417	95,341
Total other income (expense)		(3,470)	(3,088)	(2,969)	(2,890)			(12,417)	(95,341)
Income before taxes		0	0	0	0			0	0
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0			0	0
Net earnings (loss)		0	0	0	0			0	0
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0	0			0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Vishay stockholders		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0			$ 0	0
U.S. pension settlement charges									$ (79,321)