Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,140	$ 2,278	$ 2,171	$ 2,963
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,886	4,979
Investments	4,912	8,938
Accounts receivable, net	1,970	1,424
Inventories, net	1,933	1,344
Property, plant and equipment, net	6,325	3,505
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,198	2,026
Other assets	968	642
Total Assets	24,332	25,136
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,384	2,843
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	314	4,476
Due to brokers	132	2,171
Post-employment benefit liability	1,282	1,340
Debt	8,422	6,473
Total liabilities	14,534	17,303
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	4,775	3,755
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	5,023	4,078
Total equity	9,798	7,833
Total Liabilities and Equity	24,332	25,136
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	15	7
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,860	4,941
Investments	4,500	8,448
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	296	81
Total Assets	6,671	13,477
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	406	162
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	314	4,476
Due to brokers	132	2,171
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	852	6,809
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	2,349	3,282
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	3,470	3,386
Total equity	5,819	6,668
Total Liabilities and Equity	6,671	13,477
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	541	953
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	257	228
Accounts receivable, net	1,426	1,169
Inventories, net	1,041	956
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,914	1,855
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,755	1,808
Other assets	319	319
Total Assets	7,253	7,288
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,820	1,875
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,218	1,272
Debt	2,799	2,798
Total liabilities	5,837	5,945
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,023	967
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	393	376
Total equity	1,416	1,343
Total Liabilities and Equity	7,253	7,288
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	988
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0
Investments	0
Accounts receivable, net	281
Inventories, net	524
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,598
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,245
Other assets	81
Total Assets	5,717
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,588
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0
Due to brokers	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0
Debt	901
Total liabilities	2,489
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	2,412
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	816
Total equity	3,228
Total Liabilities and Equity	5,717
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	250	150
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	18	16
Investments	35	34
Accounts receivable, net	13	19
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	422	416
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	68	77
Other assets	54	58
Total Assets	860	770
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	137	145
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	171	49
Total liabilities	308	194
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	369	402
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	183	174
Total equity	552	576
Total Liabilities and Equity	860	770
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	99	307
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	45	45
Accounts receivable, net	36	34
Inventories, net	132	96
Property, plant and equipment, net	344	194
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	7
Other assets	20	21
Total Assets	683	704
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	139	110
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	9	9
Debt	175	275
Total liabilities	323	394
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	205	172
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	155	138
Total equity	360	310
Total Liabilities and Equity	683	704
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	26	66
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1	2
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	60	53
Inventories, net	57	53
Property, plant and equipment, net	154	131
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	12	14
Other assets	32	31
Total Assets	342	350
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	64	75
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	52	56
Debt	216	216
Total liabilities	332	347
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	4	(1)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	6	4
Total equity	10	3
Total Liabilities and Equity	342	350
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	37	7
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	2
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	105	98
Inventories, net	117	163
Property, plant and equipment, net	137	134
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	28	30
Other assets	50	42
Total Assets	477	476
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	74	85
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	3	3
Debt	4	4
Total liabilities	81	92
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	396	384
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	396	384
Total Liabilities and Equity	477	476
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	65	216
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	2	2
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	10	5
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	668	679
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	80	87
Other assets	15	15
Total Assets	840	1,004
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	22	23
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	72	75
Total liabilities	94	98
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	746	906
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	746	906
Total Liabilities and Equity	840	1,004
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	73	55
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	14	13
Accounts receivable, net	39	46
Inventories, net	62	76
Property, plant and equipment, net	85	93
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3	3
Other assets	25	33
Total Assets	301	319
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	35	36
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	35	36
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	266	283
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	266	283
Total Liabilities and Equity	301	319
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,046	517
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	2	16
Investments	61	170
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	3	3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	76	42
Total Assets	1,188	748
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	99	332
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	4,084	3,056
Total liabilities	4,183	3,388
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(2,995)	(2,640)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	(2,995)	(2,640)
Total Liabilities and Equity	$ 1,188	$ 748