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Derivatives Sales, Receivables and Postretirement Cost Sharing Asset by Major Customer (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Total GM postretirement cost sharing asset	$ 287.8axl_TotalGmPostretirementCostSharingAsset	$ 255.9axl_TotalGmPostretirementCostSharingAsset
General Motors [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Entity-wide revenue, major customer, percentage	68.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_GeneralMotorsMember	71.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_GeneralMotorsMember	73.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_GeneralMotorsMember
Fair value, concentration of risk, accounts receivable	343.1us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskAccountsReceivable / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_GeneralMotorsMember	278.5us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskAccountsReceivable / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_GeneralMotorsMember
Chrysler Group LLC [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Entity-wide revenue, major customer, percentage	18.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_ChryslerGroupLlcMember	12.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_ChryslerGroupLlcMember	10.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1 / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_ChryslerGroupLlcMember
Fair value, concentration of risk, accounts receivable	$ 99.3us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskAccountsReceivable / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_ChryslerGroupLlcMember	$ 85.9us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskAccountsReceivable / us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis = axl_ChryslerGroupLlcMember

X

- Definition

Aggregate of the current and noncurrent amounts estimated to be received from General Motors Company (GM) associated with an agreement between us and GM to share proportionally in the cost of other postretirement employee benefits for eligible retirees based on the length of service an employee had with us and GM.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	axl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13537-108611



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 275

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6404-108592



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13531-108611



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 275

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 18

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6351-108592

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- Details

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X

- Definition

This item represents disclosure of all significant concentrations of credit risk or market risk arising from the subject financial instrument (as defined), whether from an individual counterparty or groups of counterparties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph a, b

-Article 5

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- Details

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