Debt Table (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 11,519	$ 9,295
Automotive Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,695	2,586
Energy Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	675	676
Gaming Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	296	298
Railcar Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,057	1,448
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	274	217
Real Estate Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	33	51
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	0	0
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2022 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,337	0
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2020 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,709	493
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2019 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,270	0
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 8.00% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	0	2,473
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2017 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,170	0
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	0	1,050
Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,057	1,448
Debt facilities [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,589	2,494
Debt facilities [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	500	500
Secured credit facilities [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	125	125
Secured credit facilities [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	296	298
Secured credit facilities [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	272	215
Mortgages payable [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	31	49
Other Debt Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	163	150
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	11,519	9,289
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2022 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,337	0
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2020 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,709	493
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2019 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,270	0
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 8.00% senior unsecured notes due 2018 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	0	2,470
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 2017 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	1,170	0
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | 7.75% senior unsecured notes due 2016 - Icahn Enterprises/Icahn Enterprises Holdings
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	0	1,047
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,057	1,448
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Debt facilities [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	2,589	2,494
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Debt facilities [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	500	500
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Secured credit facilities [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	125	125
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Secured credit facilities [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	296	298
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Secured credit facilities [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	272	215
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Mortgages payable [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	31	49
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Other Debt Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 163	$ 150