Schedule I Condensed Financial Informaiton of Parent - Debt Note (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt	$ 8,548	$ 6,473
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	8,540	6,463
Parent Company [Member]
Debt	4,126	3,100
Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Affiliate ownership interest	99.00%
Debt	4,136	3,112
Senior unsecured variable rate convertible notes due 2013 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member]
Debt	556	556
Senior unsecured variable rate convertible notes due 2013 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	556	556
Senior unsecured variable rate convertible notes due 2013 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Debt	600	600
Senior unsecured variable rate convertible notes due 2013 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	556	556
8% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member]
Debt	2,476	1,450
8% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	2,471	1,444
8% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Debt	2,476	1,450
8% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	2,471	1,444
7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member]
Debt	1,050	1,050
7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	1,047	1,046
7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Debt	1,050	1,050
7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	1,047	1,046
Mortgages payable [Member] | Mortgages [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt	$ 62	$ 66
Icahn Enterprises G.P. [Member]
General partner ownership percentage in Icahn Enterprises	1.00%
Aggregate general partner ownership interest of parent and operating subsidiary	1.99%
Icahn Enterprises G.P. [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
General partner ownership percentage in Icahn Enterprises	1.00%
Aggregate general partner ownership interest of parent and operating subsidiary	1.99%
Icahn Enterprises G.P. [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
General partner ownership percentage in Icahn Enterprises	1.00%