Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013 Investment Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Investment Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Automotive Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Automotive Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Energy Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Energy Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Metals Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Metals Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Railcar Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Gaming Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Gaming Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Food Packaging Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Food Packaging Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Real Estate Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Holding Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Holding Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Investment Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Investment Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Automotive Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Automotive Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Energy Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Metals Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Metals Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Railcar Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Railcar Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Gaming Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Gaming Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Food Packaging Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Food Packaging Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Real Estate Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member] Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member] Home Fashion Segment [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holding Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,274	$ 3,071	$ 3,140	$ 2,278	$ 5	$ 14	$ 960	$ 467	$ 887	$ 896	$ 31	$ 14	$ 115	$ 207	$ 245	$ 243	$ 14	$ 31	$ 43	$ 87	$ 16	$ 67	$ 958	$ 1,045	$ 3,274	$ 3,071	$ 3,140	$ 2,278
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,430	1,419			1,140	1,386	0	0	0	0	4	4	10	3	30	15	1	1	3	2	6	6	236	2	1,430	1,419
Investments	12,275	5,491			11,825	5,084	248	240	0	0	0	0	40	57	34	35	0	0	0	0	13	14	115	61	12,275	5,491
Accounts receivable, net	1,871	1,841			0	0	1,395	1,375	241	211	85	102	32	37	12	13	68	62	7	5	31	36	0	0	1,871	1,841
Inventories, net	2,093	1,955			0	0	1,087	1,074	680	528	88	122	102	110	0	0	72	61	0	0	64	60	0	0	2,093	1,955
Property, plant and equipment, net	6,763	6,523			0	0	1,970	1,971	2,666	2,648	134	142	657	426	441	431	151	154	657	665	84	83	3	3	6,763	6,523
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,207	3,288			0	0	1,727	1,782	1,312	1,327	10	11	7	7	67	68	11	12	70	78	3	3	0	0
Other assets	868	968			98	109	401	373	186	133	22	22	26	15	47	47	38	34	17	15	20	22	13	198
Total assets	31,781	24,556			13,068	6,593	7,788	7,282	5,972	5,743	374	417	989	862	876	852	355	355	797	852	237	291	1,325	1,309	31,797	24,570			13,068	6,593	7,788	7,282	5,972	5,743	374	417	989	862	876	852	355	355	797	852	237	291	1,341	1,323
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	5,166	4,214			581	152	1,913	1,859	1,576	1,535	66	73	200	156	131	134	71	74	22	18	32	35	574	178
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	704	533			704	533	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	704	533
Due to brokers	3,718	0			3,718	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,718	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,391	1,488			0	0	1,316	1,409	0	0	3	3	9	10	0	0	63	66	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,391	1,488
Debt	8,155	8,548			0	0	2,824	2,805	676	926	3	3	196	275	170	171	217	215	52	71	0	0	4,017	4,082	8,149	8,540
Total assets	19,134	14,783			5,003	685	6,053	6,073	2,252	2,461	72	79	405	441	301	305	351	355	74	89	32	35	4,591	4,260	19,128	14,775
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,720	4,669			3,573	2,387	1,316	860	2,065	2,383	302	338	400	257	399	379	3	(3)	723	763	205	256	(3,266)	(2,951)	5,742	4,691
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	6,927	5,104			4,492	3,521	419	349	1,655	899	0	0	184	164	176	168	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	6,927	5,104
Total equity	12,647	9,773			8,065	5,908	1,735	1,209	3,720	3,282	302	338	584	421	575	547	4	0	723	763	205	256	(3,266)	(2,951)	12,669	9,795
Total liabilities and equity	$ 31,781	$ 24,556			$ 13,068	$ 6,593	$ 7,788	$ 7,282	$ 5,972	$ 5,743	$ 374	$ 417	$ 989	$ 862	$ 876	$ 852	$ 355	$ 355	$ 797	$ 852	$ 237	$ 291	$ 1,325	$ 1,309	$ 31,797	$ 24,570