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Organization and Basis of Presentation
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Organization and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]  
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]
1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Organization  American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (Holdings) and its subsidiaries (collectively, we, our, us or AAM) is a Tier I supplier to the automotive industry. We manufacture, engineer, design and validate driveline and drivetrain systems and related components and chassis modules for light trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), passenger cars, crossover vehicles and commercial vehicles. Driveline and drivetrain systems include components that transfer power from the transmission and deliver it to the drive wheels. Our driveline, drivetrain and related products include axles, chassis modules, driveshafts, power transfer units, transfer cases, chassis and steering components, driveheads, transmission parts and metal-formed products. In addition to locations in the United States (U.S.) (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania), we also have offices or facilities in Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Poland, Scotland, South Korea, Sweden and Thailand.

Basis of Presentation We have prepared the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited but include all normal recurring adjustments, which we consider necessary for a fair presentation of the information set forth herein.  Results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full fiscal year.

The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 presented herein has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for complete consolidated financial statements.
 
In order to prepare the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in our interim condensed consolidated financial statements.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

For further information, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Effect of New Accounting Standards On January 1, 2013, new accounting guidance regarding impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets became effective. Under the new guidance, an entity testing an indefinite-lived intangible asset for impairment has the option of performing a qualitative impairment assessment before calculating the fair value of the asset. We do not believe that the adoption of this new accounting guidance will have a significant effect on our impairment assessments of indefinite-lived intangible assets in the future.

On February 5, 2013, new accounting guidance was issued which requires entities to disclose additional information about items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI). The new guidance requires entities to disclose, either on the face of the financial statements or as a separate footnote to the financial statements, additional information regarding changes in AOCI balances by component, either before tax or net-of-tax, and requires entities to disclose significant items reclassified out of AOCI by component. The new guidance does not change the current accounting guidance which states that a total for comprehensive income must be reported in condensed interim financial statements in either a single continuous statement or two separate but consecutive statements. Other than additional disclosure requirements, the adoption of this new guidance has had no impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.