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Income Taxes Unrecognized Tax Benefts (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning balance	$ 21.7us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	$ 20.7us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	$ 25.8us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Increase in prior year tax positions	10.5us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	6.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Decrease in prior year tax positions	(0.5)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	(4.4)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	(1.1)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Increase in current year tax positions	15.6us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	4.0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	0.4us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Settlement		(4.7)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities	4.4us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Unrecognized tax benefits, ending balance	47.3us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	21.7us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	20.7us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest and penalties, beginning balance	4.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	10.2us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	7.4us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Interest and penalties, increase in prior year tax positions	8.1axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	0.1axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	2.8axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Interest and penalties, decrease in prior year tax positions	0axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	6.2axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	0axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Interest and penalties, increase in current year tax positions	0axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	0axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	0axl_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpenseIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Interest and penalties, settlement		0axl_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisionsInterestAndPenalties	0axl_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisionsInterestAndPenalties
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest and penalties, ending balance	12.2us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	4.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued	10.2us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties and interest expense	$ 8.1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense	$ (6.1)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense	$ 2.8us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense

X

- Definition

Reflects the effect on interest and penalties of adjustments of previously recorded tax expense, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including, but not limited to, tax assessment reversal, IRS tax settlement and unusual repatriation of foreign earnings.

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The gross amount of decreases in interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns, excluding amounts pertaining to examined tax returns.

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The gross amount of increases in interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in the tax return for the current period, excluding amounts pertaining to examined tax returns.

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The gross amount of increases in interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns, excluding amounts pertaining to examined tax returns.

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Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit

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Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

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Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

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Amount of expense for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

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