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Income Taxes Components of Provision for Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Current      
Federal $ 0.6us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit $ (1.3)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit $ (3.3)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit
Other state and local 0.1us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit 0.1us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit 1.1us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit
Foreign 44.2us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit 12.1us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit 10.2us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit
Total current 44.9us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 10.9us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 8.0us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred      
Federal (11.6)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (9.3)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (347.1)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Foreign 0.4us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (9.8)us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 3.9us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) (11.2)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (19.1)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (343.2)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Total deferred 20.1us-gaap_OtherTaxExpenseBenefit    
Income tax expense (benefit) 33.7us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (8.2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (335.2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Additions to Income Tax Expense for Changes to Prior Year Uncertain Tax Positions 10.5us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 6.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Income tax expense (benefit), change in estimate 3.4axl_Incometaxexpensebenefitchangeinestimate 4.8axl_Incometaxexpensebenefitchangeinestimate  
Income tax expense (benefit), continuing operations, adjustment of deferred tax (asset) liability   8.5us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitContinuingOperationsAdjustmentOfDeferredTaxAssetLiability  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Reduction Resulting from Lapse of Applicable Statute of Limitations   1.5us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations  
Income tax expense (benefit), other   (3.3)axl_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitOther  
Unrecognized tax benefits, decrease resulting from cash and non-cash settlements with taxing authorities   8.4axl_Unrecognizedtaxbenefitsdecreaseresultingfromcashandnoncashsettlementswithtaxingauthorities  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Settlements with Taxing Authorities   4.7us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities (4.4)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Net Tax Expense from Amendment of State Tax Returns due to Settlement of Federal Income Tax Audits     1.3axl_NetTaxExpenseFromAmendmentOfStateTaxReturnsDueToSettlementOfFederalIncomeTaxAudits
Tax positions relating to transfer pricing [Member]      
Deferred      
Additions to Income Tax Expense for Changes to Prior Year Uncertain Tax Positions $ 23.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= axl_TaxpositionsrelatingtotransferpricingMember		    
Mexico [Member]      
Deferred      
Previously enacted tax rate   17.50%axl_Previouslyenactedtaxrate
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember		  
Newly enacted tax rate   30.00%axl_Newlyenactedtaxrate
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_MexicanTaxAuthorityMember