Debt (Details Textual) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	5 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	May 27, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	May 27, 2010 Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	May 11, 2010 Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior ABL Facility [Member]	May 31, 2010 Senior ABL Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior ABL Facility [Member] Cooper Standard Automotive Inc US [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior ABL Facility [Member] Cooper Standard Automotive Inc Canada [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior ABL Facility [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior ABL Facility [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 On and after May 1, 2014 [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Twelve-month period beginning on or after May 1, 2016 [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Twelve-month period beginning on May 1, 2015 [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prior to May 1, 2013 [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Prior to May 1, 2014 [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 If change of control occurs [Member] Eight point Five Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Outstanding Borrowing More Than Fifty Percent [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Outstanding Borrowing Equals To Or Less Than Fifty Percent [Member] Maximum [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Senior unsecured notes principal amount			$ 450,000		$ 450,000			$ 450,000
Senior notes due 2018, Percentage							8.50%	8.50%
Senior notes maturity date						May 01, 2018
Redemption price as a percentage of principal amount															104.25%	100.00%	102.125%	108.50%	100.00%
Percentage of senior notes to be redeemed with certain equity offerings																		35.00%
Repurchase price of senior notes as a percentage of principal amount																				101.00%
Aggregate revolving loan availability									125,000	125,000	100,000	25,000
Letter of credit sub-facility									45,000
Swing line sub-facility									20,000
Uncommitted incremental loan facility									25,000	25,000
Total Senior ABL Facility									150,000
Amounts outstanding under the Senior ABL Facility									0
Letters of credit outstanding									27,045
Termination date of commitments of lenders									May 27, 2014
Borrowing Available Capacity Description									Is limited to the lesser of : (A) the maximum facility amount (subject to certain adjustments) and (B) (i) up to 85% of eligible accounts receivable; plus (ii) up to the lesser of 70% of eligible inventory or 85% of the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory; minus reserves established by the Agent. The accounts receivable portion of the borrowing base is subject to certain formulaic limitations (including concentration limits).
Percentage of accounts receivable									85.00%
Percentage of inventory									70.00%
Percentage of appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory									85.00%
Line of Credit Commitment Fees Description									the Borrowers are required to pay a fee in respect of committed but unutilized commitments equal to 0.50% per annum when usage of the Senior ABL Facility (as apportioned between the U.S. and Canadian facilities) is greater than 50% and 0.75% per annum when usage of the Senior ABL Facility is equal to or less than 50%.
Applicable margin with respect to LIBOR or BA-based borrowings													3.75%	3.25%
Applicable margin with respect to base rate, Canadian prime rate and Canadian base rate borrowings													2.75%	2.25%
Percentage of Commitment Fees																					0.50%	0.75%
Fronting Fee Rate Description									The Borrowers are also required to pay a fee on outstanding letters of credit under the Senior ABL Facility at a rate equal to the applicable margin in respect of LIBOR based borrowings plus a fronting fee at a rate of 0.125% per annum to the issuer of such letters of credit, together with customary issuance and other letter of credit fees.
Percentage of fronting fee on outstanding letters of credit									0.125%
Fixed charge coverage ratio									1.1
Debt (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Interest paid on third party debt	$ 31,898	$ 20,508	$ 45,752	$ 44,038