Business Segments (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 3,927,158	$ 3,360,984	$ 2,778,990
Segment Profit [Abstract]
Operating profit	163,301	188,374	156,269
Interest income	3,190	5,265	5,193
Other - net	3,846	2,834	1,272
Interest expense	(36,191)	(36,647)	(47,211)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	134,146	159,826	115,523
Depreciation and amortization expense	122,899	123,711	123,511
Segment assets	2,501,005	2,305,537	2,100,340
Expenditures for long-lived assets	155,406	119,738	79,333
North American Tire [Member]
Segment Financial Information [Abstract]
External Customers	2,763,462	2,356,907	1,933,504
Intercompany	93,464	66,901	72,679
Revenues	2,856,926	2,423,808	2,006,183
Segment Profit [Abstract]
Operating profit	77,432	130,694	110,957
Depreciation and amortization expense	72,787	76,065	76,001
Segment assets	1,096,083	982,001	857,734
Expenditures for long-lived assets	69,168	66,100	41,917
Eliminations and other [Member]
Segment Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenues	(486,848)	(335,048)	(221,032)
Unallocated corporate charges [Member]
Segment Profit [Abstract]
Operating profit	(16,851)	(24,401)	(27,441)
Expenditures for long-lived assets	53,389	16,243	6
Corporate [Member]
Segment Profit [Abstract]
Depreciation and amortization expense	334	928	1,193
Segment assets	520,585	500,525	472,049
International Tire [Member]
Segment Financial Information [Abstract]
External Customers	1,163,696	1,004,077	845,486
Intercompany	393,384	268,147	148,353
Revenues	1,557,080	1,272,224	993,839
Segment Profit [Abstract]
Operating profit	102,720	82,081	72,753
Depreciation and amortization expense	49,778	46,728	46,317
Segment assets	884,337	823,011	770,557
Expenditures for long-lived assets	$ 32,849	$ 37,395	$ 37,410