Commitments and Contingencies (Details 4) (USD $)			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2006 Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Narco Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	May 31, 2011 Allen Matter [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Allen Matter [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Solvay S.A. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Narco And Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Narco And Bendix Asbestos Loss Contingency Liability [Member]
Loss Contingency Claims [Line Items]
Claims unresolved at the beginning of period			22,480	19,940	51,951
Claims filed during the period			2,719	4,302	2,697						21
Claims resolved and reactivated during the period			(2,399)	(1,762)	(34,708)						18
Claims unresolved at the end of period			22,800	22,480	19,940	51,951
Loss Contingency Claims Footnote [Abstract]
Previously Classified As Inactive Claims				1,300
Previously classified as inactive, non-malignant, Percent				95.00%
Previously classified as inactive, liability				$ 2,000,000
Number Of Nonmalignant Claims Refiled				1,541
Nonmalignant Claims Refiled Liability				575,000
Loss Contingency, Disease Distribution Of Unresolved Claims [Abstract]
Mesothelioma and Other Cancer Claims			4,919	4,856	4,727
Other Claims			17,881	17,624	15,213
Disease Distribution of Unresolved Claims, Total			22,800	22,480	19,940	51,951
Resolution Dollar Values Per Claim
Malignant Claims				54,000	50,000	65,000	33,000	33,000
Nonmalignant Claims				1,300	200	1,500	500	250
Asbestos Related Claims [Abstract]
Loss Contingency Accrual At Carrying Value			613,000,000	594,000,000					1,124,000,000				1,737,000,000
Insurance Receivables As Value Of Asbestos Claims			160,000,000	157,000,000
Insurance receivable as value of asbestos claim historical, percent			40.00%
Insurance receivable as value of asbestos claim projected, percent			35.00%
Asbestos Related Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]
Asbestos Related Liabilities, Beginning of Period			594,000,000						1,125,000,000				1,719,000,000
Accrual for Update to Estimated Liability			137,000,000						2,000,000				139,000,000
Asbestos Related Liability Payments			(118,000,000)						(3,000,000)				(121,000,000)
Asbestos Related Liabilities, End of Period			613,000,000	594,000,000					1,124,000,000				1,737,000,000
Asbestos Related Liabilities, Insurance Recoveries Abstract
Insurance Recoveries, Beginning of Period			157,000,000						718,000,000				875,000,000
Probable Insurance Recoveries Related To Estimated Liability			18,000,000						0				18,000,000
Insuarance receipts for asbestos related liabilities			(21,000,000)						(33,000,000)				(54,000,000)
Insurance receivables settlements and write-offs			6,000,000										6,000,000
Insurance Recoveries, End of Period			160,000,000	157,000,000					685,000,000				845,000,000
Schedule Of Accrual For Asbestos Loss Contingencies Balance Sheet Classification [Abstract]
Other Current Assets													97,000,000	50,000,000
Insurance recoveries for asbestos related liabilities	748,000,000	825,000,000											748,000,000	825,000,000
Total assets			160,000,000	157,000,000					685,000,000				845,000,000
Accrued liabilities													163,000,000	162,000,000
Asbestos Related Liabilities	1,574,000,000	1,557,000,000											1,574,000,000	1,557,000,000
Total liabilities			613,000,000	594,000,000					1,124,000,000				1,737,000,000
Other Matters, Allen and BorgWarner [Abstract]
Settled claims			(2,399)	(1,762)	(34,708)						18
Total claims			2,719	4,302	2,697						21
Litigation Settlement Paid											35,000,000
Litigation settlement paid for remaining claims										23,800,000
Maximun liability											500,000,000
Loss Contingency Remaining Claims											three
Amount of damages asserted												$ 61,000,000