Debtor Financial Statements - Debtor Statements of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 697,802		$ 711,692		$ 1,380,044	$ 1,405,130
Cost of sales	601,068		608,033		1,207,271	1,207,216
Gross profit	96,734		103,659		172,773	197,914
Selling and administrative expenses	88,694		95,715		180,864	189,400
Restructuring and impairments, net	2,601	[1]	1,108	[1]	11,325	624
Operating income (loss)	5,439		6,836		(19,416)	7,890
Other (income) expense, net	(7,507)		(939)		(2,342)	297
Interest expense, net	30,529		17,229		51,885	31,326
Loss before reorganization items, net	(17,583)		(9,454)		(68,959)	(23,733)
Reorganization items, net	19,407		426		58,946	801
Loss before reorganization items, net	(36,990)		(9,880)		(127,905)	(24,534)
Income tax provision	2,975		3,887		3,284	95,700
Net loss attributable to Exide Technologies	(40,175)		(13,878)		(131,310)	(120,374)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	296,236				583,830
Cost of sales	255,152				517,920
Gross profit	41,084				65,910
Selling and administrative expenses	38,200				78,706
Restructuring and impairments, net	2,298				9,931
Operating income (loss)	586				(22,727)
Other (income) expense, net	(5,771)				(28,688)
Loss in net earnings of subsidiaries	2,093				33,410
Interest expense, net	26,028				44,175
Loss before reorganization items, net	(21,764)				(71,624)
Reorganization items, net	18,397				57,465
Loss before reorganization items, net	(40,161)				(129,089)
Income tax provision	14				2,221
Net loss attributable to Exide Technologies	$ (40,175)				$ (131,310)

[1] See Note 13 for detail by segment.