Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,080	$ 3,262	$ 3,354	$ 3,108
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,301	396
Investments	14,463	12,261
Accounts receivable, net	1,904	1,750
Inventories, net	2,087	1,902
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,807	8,077
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,219	3,187
Other assets	1,337	910
Total assets	36,198	31,745
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,846	4,943
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	1,111	884
Due to brokers	3,800	2,203
Post-employment benefit liability	1,050	1,111
Debt	11,519	9,295
Total assets	22,326	18,436
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	6,159	6,092
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	7,713	7,217
Total equity	13,872	13,309	12,738	9,816
Total liabilities and equity	36,198	31,745
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	6	3
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,235	321
Investments	13,910	11,826
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	365	47
Total assets	15,516	12,197
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	394	757
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	1,111	884
Due to brokers	3,800	2,203
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total assets	5,305	3,844
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	4,824	3,696
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	5,387	4,657
Total equity	10,211	8,353
Total liabilities and equity	15,516	12,197
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	469	761
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	268	253
Accounts receivable, net	1,446	1,297
Inventories, net	1,241	1,068
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,163	2,038
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,763	1,715
Other assets	487	413
Total assets	7,837	7,545
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	2,092	1,763
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,018	1,072
Debt	2,695	2,586
Total assets	5,805	5,421
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,589	1,660
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	443	464
Total equity	2,032	2,124
Total liabilities and equity	7,837	7,545
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	793	842
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	94	0
Accounts receivable, net	230	242
Inventories, net	517	527
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,697	2,684
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,292	1,307
Other assets	164	146
Total assets	5,787	5,748
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,572	1,550
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	675	676
Total assets	2,247	2,226
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,825	1,926
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	1,715	1,596
Total equity	3,540	3,522
Total liabilities and equity	5,787	5,748
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	17	31
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	4
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	69	62
Inventories, net	74	85
Property, plant and equipment, net	135	129
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	8	9
Other assets	22	14
Total assets	328	334
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	62	57
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1	1
Debt	3	3
Total assets	66	61
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	262	273
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	262	273
Total liabilities and equity	328	334
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	424	417
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	35	27
Investments	28	31
Accounts receivable, net	41	34
Inventories, net	105	90
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,239	1,889
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	7
Other assets	67	52
Total assets	2,946	2,547
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	251	204
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	4	5
Debt	2,057	1,448
Total assets	2,312	1,657
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	675	591
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	(41)	299
Total equity	634	890
Total liabilities and equity	2,946	2,547
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	184	359
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	16	31
Investments	32	34
Accounts receivable, net	12	10
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	702	444
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	75	67
Other assets	53	51
Total assets	1,074	996
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	159	132
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	296	298
Total assets	455	430
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	429	392
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	190	174
Total equity	619	566
Total liabilities and equity	1,074	996
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	37	19
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1	1
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	66	67
Inventories, net	76	72
Property, plant and equipment, net	152	156
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	10	11
Other assets	87	79
Total assets	429	405
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	69	80
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	27	33
Debt	274	217
Total assets	370	330
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	40	55
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	19	20
Total equity	59	75
Total liabilities and equity	429	405
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	57	32
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	2	3
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	7	3
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	642	656
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	61	68
Other assets	18	18
Total assets	787	780
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	22	18
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	33	51
Total assets	55	69
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	732	711
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	732	711
Total liabilities and equity	787	780
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	19	16
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	6	6
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	33	35
Inventories, net	74	60
Property, plant and equipment, net	74	78
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3	3
Other assets	16	24
Total assets	225	222
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	31	31
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	31	31
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	194	191
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	194	191
Total liabilities and equity	225	222
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,074	782
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	3
Investments	131	117
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	58	66
Total assets	1,269	971
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	194	351
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	5,486	4,016
Total assets	5,680	4,367
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(4,411)	(3,403)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	7
Total equity	(4,411)	(3,396)
Total liabilities and equity	1,269	971
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	3,080	3,262	3,354	3,108
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,301	396
Investments	14,463	12,261
Accounts receivable, net	1,904	1,750
Inventories, net	2,087	1,902
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,807	8,077
Total assets	36,221	31,761
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	1,111	884
Due to brokers	3,800	2,203
Post-employment benefit liability	1,050	1,111
Debt	11,519	9,289
Total assets	22,326	18,430
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	6,182	6,114
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	7,713	7,217
Total equity	13,895	13,331	12,760	9,838
Total liabilities and equity	36,221	31,761
Holding Company [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	15,516	12,197
Holding Company [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	7,837	7,545
Holding Company [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	5,787	5,748
Holding Company [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	328	334
Holding Company [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	2,946	2,547
Holding Company [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	1,074	996
Holding Company [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	429	405
Holding Company [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	787	780
Holding Company [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	225	222
Holding Company [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	$ 1,292	$ 987