Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended													0 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Principal Owners and Affiliates [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Principal Owners and Affiliates [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 ACF [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 ACF [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Starfire Holding Corporation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Railcar Segment [Member] ARI [Member] ARI Joint Venture [Member]	Aug. 05, 2009 Railcar Segment [Member] ARI [Member] ARI Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Railcar Segment [Member] ARI [Member] ARI Joint Venture [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Railcar Segment [Member] ARI [Member] ARI Joint Venture [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Automotive Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Automotive Segment [Member]	Dec. 29, 2009 Tropicana [Member] Exit Facility [Member]	Mar. 08, 2010 Tropicana [Member] Exit Facility [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 08, 2010 Tropicana [Member] Exit Facility [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Aug. 12, 2010 Tropicana [Member] Gaming Segment [Member]	Mar. 08, 2010 Investment Funds [Member] Exit Facility [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 08, 2010 Investment Funds [Member] Exit Facility [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 CVR Energy, Inc. [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 PSC Metals [Member] Metals Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 PSC Metals [Member] Metals Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 PSC Metals [Member] Metals Segment [Member] Cleveland OH Scrap Processing Facility [Member] scrap_processing_facilities	Dec. 31, 2011 PSC Metals [Member] Metals Segment [Member] Cleveland OH Scrap Processing Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Federal-Mogul [Member] Automotive Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Federal-Mogul [Member] Automotive Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 WPH [Member] Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 WPH [Member] Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Icahn Enterprises G.P. [Member] Principal Owners and Affiliates [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 CRNF [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 CRNF [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 CRNF [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 CRNF [Member] Energy Segment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Average increase in annual property tax expense																												$ 11,000,000	$ 12,000,000	$ 11,000,000	$ 11,000,000
Term Loan Facility								60,000,000					130,000,000
Term Loan Facility, discount percentage													7.00%
Line of credit facility									10,000,000					20,000,000
Percentage of loan to joint venture held							50.00%					50.00%				50.00%
Funding commitment, percentage of loan						50.00%											100.00%
Accrued environmental liabilities										15,000,000	16,000,000								29,000,000	30,000,000					1,000,000	1,000,000
Negotiated settlement to resolve Port Refinery environmental matter																			225,000
Possible material additional losses, above and beyond best estimate of required remediation costs																							39,000,000
Asset Retirement Obligation																							21,000,000	22,000,000
Outstanding balance of loans due from ARI Joint Venture to ARI						36,000,000
Funding commitment, remaining obligation						3,000,000
Compensatory damages sought															100,000,000			18,500,000
Number of scrap processing facilities requiring refrigerant extraction services																					11
Number of years refrigerant extraction services must be offered at scrap processing facilities																					4 years
Costs associated with required injunctive relief, low estimate																					800,000
Costs associated with required injunctive relief, high estimate																					1,700,000
Civil penalty assessed and paid																						199,000
Affiliate ownership in parent company general partner																											100.00%
Affiliate ownership interest	93.30%	92.60%
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan			71,000,000	112,000,000
Ownership Percentage by Mr. Icahn					100.00%
Subsidiary Indemnity Agreement, Pension Funding Contingencies As A Result of Being In The Controlled Group, Distribution Limitation, Net Worth Floor					$ 250,000,000