Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,437	$ 3,071	$ 3,467	$ 2,278
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,424	1,419
Investments	7,690	5,491
Accounts receivable, net	2,028	1,841
Inventories, net	1,968	1,955
Property, plant and equipment, net	6,571	6,523
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,269	3,288
Other assets	874	968
Total assets	26,261	24,556
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,667	4,214
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	620	533
Due to brokers	423	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,438	1,488
Debt	8,184	8,548
Total assets	15,332	14,783
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,068	4,669
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	5,861	5,104
Total equity	10,929	9,773
Total liabilities and equity	26,261	24,556
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2	14
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	766	1,386
Investments	7,226	5,084
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	64	109
Total assets	8,058	6,593
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	544	152
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	620	533
Due to brokers	423	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total assets	1,587	685
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	2,607	2,387
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	3,864	3,521
Total equity	6,471	5,908
Total liabilities and equity	8,058	6,593
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	269	467
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	247	240
Accounts receivable, net	1,488	1,375
Inventories, net	1,124	1,074
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,946	1,971
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,772	1,782
Other assets	387	373
Total assets	7,233	7,282
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,901	1,859
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,361	1,409
Debt	2,818	2,805
Total assets	6,080	6,073
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	816	860
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	337	349
Total equity	1,153	1,209
Total liabilities and equity	7,233	7,282
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,041	896
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	283	211
Inventories, net	525	528
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,637	2,648
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,322	1,327
Other assets	93	133
Total assets	5,901	5,743
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,547	1,535
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	677	926
Total assets	2,224	2,461
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	2,359	2,383
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	1,318	899
Total equity	3,677	3,282
Total liabilities and equity	5,901	5,743
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	16	14
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	4
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	109	102
Inventories, net	106	122
Property, plant and equipment, net	139	142
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	11	11
Other assets	28	22
Total assets	412	417
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	72	73
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	3	3
Debt	3	3
Total assets	78	79
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	334	338
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	334	338
Total liabilities and equity	412	417
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	57	207
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	6	3
Investments	43	57
Accounts receivable, net	32	37
Inventories, net	86	110
Property, plant and equipment, net	520	426
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	7
Other assets	24	15
Total assets	775	862
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	144	156
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	9	10
Debt	150	275
Total assets	303	441
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	303	257
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	169	164
Total equity	472	421
Total liabilities and equity	775	862
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	241	243
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	15	15
Investments	35	35
Accounts receivable, net	12	13
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	430	431
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	68	68
Other assets	51	47
Total assets	852	852
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	131	134
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	170	171
Total assets	301	305
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	382	379
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	169	168
Total equity	551	547
Total liabilities and equity	852	852
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	18	31
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1	1
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	66	62
Inventories, net	66	61
Property, plant and equipment, net	153	154
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	11	12
Other assets	37	34
Total assets	352	355
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	71	74
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	65	66
Debt	215	215
Total assets	351	355
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(3)	(3)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	4	3
Total equity	1	0
Total liabilities and equity	352	355
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	26	87
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	4	2
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	3	5
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	662	665
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	75	78
Other assets	17	15
Total assets	787	852
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	21	18
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	70	71
Total assets	91	89
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	696	763
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	696	763
Total liabilities and equity	787	852
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	12	67
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	9	6
Investments	13	14
Accounts receivable, net	35	36
Inventories, net	61	60
Property, plant and equipment, net	81	83
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3	3
Other assets	23	22
Total assets	237	291
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	30	35
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 assets	30	35
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	207	256
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	207	256
Total liabilities and equity	237	291
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	755	1,045
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	620	2
Investments	126	61
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	150	198
Total assets	1,654	1,309
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	206	178
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	4,081	4,082
Total assets	4,287	4,260
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(2,633)	(2,951)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	(2,633)	(2,951)
Total liabilities and equity	1,654	1,309
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2,437	3,071	3,467	2,278
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,424	1,419
Investments	7,690	5,491
Accounts receivable, net	2,028	1,841
Inventories, net	1,968	1,955
Property, plant and equipment, net	6,571	6,523
Total assets	26,275	24,570
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	620	533
Due to brokers	423	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,438	1,488
Debt	8,176	8,540
Total assets	15,324	14,775
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,090	4,691
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	5,861	5,104
Total equity	10,951	9,795
Total liabilities and equity	26,275	24,570
Holding Company [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	8,058	6,593
Holding Company [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	7,233	7,282
Holding Company [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	5,901	5,743
Holding Company [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	412	417
Holding Company [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	775	862
Holding Company [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	852	852
Holding Company [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	352	355
Holding Company [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	787	852
Holding Company [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	237	291
Holding Company [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	$ 1,668	$ 1,323