Information Used to Evaluate Operating Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	$ 1,933	$ 1,526	$ 3,733	$ 3,034
Segment EBITDA	204	160	394	285
Light Vehicle Driveline Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	654	621	1,327	1,169
Inter- Segment Sales	53	48	109	92
Segment EBITDA	60	64	126	106
Power Technologies Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	269	234	536	462
Inter- Segment Sales	7	7	14	13
Segment EBITDA	37	35	77	62
Commercial Vehicle Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	583	364	1,058	695
Inter- Segment Sales	30	22	59	44
Segment EBITDA	55	39	98	63
Off-Highway Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	414	287	787	544
Inter- Segment Sales	16	10	31	18
Segment EBITDA	51	25	92	46
Structures Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales	13	18	24	162
Inter- Segment Sales				2
Segment EBITDA	1	(3)	1	8
Eliminations And Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External Sales		2	1	2
Inter- Segment Sales	$ (106)	$ (87)	$ (213)	$ (169)

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and other items.

Name:	dan_SegmentEBITDA
Namespace Prefix:	dan
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue from transactions with other operating segments of the same entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph b
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenuesFromTransactionsWithOtherOperatingSegmentsOfSameEntity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 5
-Section 03
-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration