Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,203,766	$ 687,521	$ 759,984
Accounts receivable, net	306,474	329,986
Finance receivables, net	2,214,424	2,105,662
Inventories	556,128	538,202
Restricted cash	49,275	47,518	52,574
Other current assets	144,368	175,853
Total current assets	4,484,442	3,884,742
Finance receivables, net	5,007,507	4,859,424
Property, plant and equipment, net	904,132	967,781
Prepaid pension costs	0	19,816
Goodwill	55,048	55,947
Deferred income taxes	141,464	109,073
Other long-term assets	73,071	75,889
Total assets	10,665,664	9,972,672	9,890,240
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	284,861	227,597
Accrued liabilities	601,130	529,822
Short-term debt	1,135,810	1,273,482
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,575,799	1,127,269
Total current liabilities	3,597,600	3,158,170
Long-term debt, net	4,887,667	4,587,258
Pension liability	107,776	54,606
Postretirement healthcare liability	94,453	118,753
Other long-term liabilities	204,219	209,608
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Shareholders’ equity:
Total shareholders’ equity	1,773,949	1,844,277	$ 1,920,158	$ 1,839,654
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,665,664	9,972,672
Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	544,548	338,186
Marketable securities	10,007
Accounts receivable, net	425,727	483,709
Finance receivables, net	0	0
Inventories	556,128	538,202
Restricted cash	0	0
Other current assets	91,172	132,999
Total current assets	1,627,582	1,493,096
Finance receivables, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	847,176	922,280
Prepaid pension costs		19,816
Goodwill	55,048	55,947
Deferred income taxes	105,388	66,877
Other long-term assets	144,122	138,344
Total assets	2,779,316	2,696,360
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	258,587	214,263
Accrued liabilities	496,643	444,028
Short-term debt	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0
Total current liabilities	755,230	658,291
Long-term debt, net	742,624	741,961
Pension liability	107,776	54,606
Postretirement healthcare liability	94,453	118,753
Other long-term liabilities	164,243	171,200
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Shareholders’ equity:
Total shareholders’ equity	914,990	951,549
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,779,316	2,696,360
Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	659,218	349,335
Marketable securities	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,214,424	2,105,662
Inventories	0	0
Restricted cash	49,275	47,518
Other current assets	59,070	48,521
Total current assets	2,981,987	2,551,036
Finance receivables, net	5,007,507	4,859,424
Property, plant and equipment, net	56,956	45,501
Prepaid pension costs		0
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred income taxes	37,603	43,515
Other long-term assets	18,680	23,593
Total assets	8,102,733	7,523,069
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	145,527	167,057
Accrued liabilities	110,063	90,942
Short-term debt	1,135,810	1,273,482
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,575,799	1,127,269
Total current liabilities	2,967,199	2,658,750
Long-term debt, net	4,145,043	3,845,297
Pension liability	0	0
Postretirement healthcare liability	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	37,142	35,503
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Shareholders’ equity:
Total shareholders’ equity	953,349	983,519
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,102,733	7,523,069
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0
Accounts receivable, net	(119,253)	(153,723)
Finance receivables, net	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other current assets	(5,874)	(5,667)
Total current assets	(125,127)	(159,390)
Finance receivables, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Prepaid pension costs		0
Goodwill	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,527)	(1,319)
Other long-term assets	(89,731)	(86,048)
Total assets	(216,385)	(246,757)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(119,253)	(153,723)
Accrued liabilities	(5,576)	(5,148)
Short-term debt	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0
Total current liabilities	(124,829)	(158,871)
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Pension liability	0	0
Postretirement healthcare liability	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,834	2,905
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Shareholders’ equity:
Total shareholders’ equity	(94,390)	(90,791)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (216,385)	$ (246,757)