This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity after income or loss from equity method investments, income taxes and royalties and dividends, but before extraordinary items and noncontrolling interest.

No definition available.

Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements 2014 Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Ownership in subsidiary, percentage	100.00%axl_OwnershipInSubsidiaryPercentage								100.00%axl_OwnershipInSubsidiaryPercentage
Net sales
External									$ 3,696.0	$ 3,207.3	$ 2,930.9
Intercompany									0us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties	0us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties	0us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Total net sales	939.5us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	950.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	946.9us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	858.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	831.3us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	820.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	799.6us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	755.6us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	3,696.0us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	3,207.3us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	2,930.9us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Cost of goods sold									3,173.2us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	2,728.6us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	2,531.2us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Gross Profit	111.2us-gaap_GrossProfit	140.7us-gaap_GrossProfit	149.0us-gaap_GrossProfit	121.9us-gaap_GrossProfit	126.9us-gaap_GrossProfit	125.3us-gaap_GrossProfit	122.2us-gaap_GrossProfit	104.3us-gaap_GrossProfit	522.8us-gaap_GrossProfit	478.7us-gaap_GrossProfit	399.7us-gaap_GrossProfit
Selling, general and administrative expenses									255.2	238.4	243.3
Operating income (loss)									267.6us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	240.3us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	156.4us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Non-operating income (expense), net									(90.9)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(154.0)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(124.9)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income (loss) before income taxes									176.7	86.3	31.5
Income tax expense (benefit)									33.7us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(8.2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(335.2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									143.0	94.5	366.7
Royalties and dividends									0axl_RoyaltiesAndDividends	0axl_RoyaltiesAndDividends	0axl_RoyaltiesAndDividends
Net income after royalties and dividends									143.0	94.5	366.7
Other comprehensive loss									(80.7)	48.4	(60.5)
Comprehensive income									62.3us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	142.9us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	306.9us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Holdings [Member]
Net sales
External									0	0	0
Intercompany									0	0	0
Total net sales									0	0	0
Cost of goods sold									0	0	0
Gross Profit									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating income (loss)									0	0	0
Non-operating income (expense), net									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									143.0	94.5	367.7
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									143.0	94.5	367.7
Royalties and dividends									0	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends									143.0	94.5	367.7
Other comprehensive loss									(80.7)	48.4	(60.5)
Comprehensive income									62.3	142.9	306.9
AAM Inc. [Member]
Net sales
External									1,099.5	773.6	704.8
Intercompany									13.1	15.3	18.6
Total net sales									1,112.6	788.9	723.4
Cost of goods sold									1,112.4	769.4	709.8
Gross Profit									0.2	19.5	13.6
Selling, general and administrative expenses									194.0	182.4	186.5
Operating income (loss)									(193.8)	(162.9)	(172.9)
Non-operating income (expense), net									(103.0)	(155.1)	(135.2)
Income (loss) before income taxes									(296.8)	(318.0)	(308.1)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(11.8)	(24.9)	(343.9)
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									204.0	167.0	79.0
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									(81.0)	(126.1)	114.8
Royalties and dividends									224.0	220.6	252.9
Net income after royalties and dividends									143.0	94.5	367.7
Other comprehensive loss									(80.7)	48.4	(60.5)
Comprehensive income									62.3	142.9	306.9
Guarantor Subsidiaries of Certain Notes [Member]
Net sales
External									225.1	226.0	214.4
Intercompany									246.9	226.1	226.8
Total net sales									472.0	452.1	441.2
Cost of goods sold									396.1	389.0	389.8
Gross Profit									75.9	63.1	51.4
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0.2	0.1	0
Operating income (loss)									75.7	63.0	51.4
Non-operating income (expense), net									9.0	10.7	(2.2)
Income (loss) before income taxes									84.7	73.7	49.2
Income tax expense (benefit)									0.9	0.9	(5.5)
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									(23.3)	(21.7)	(49.2)
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									60.5	51.1	5.5
Royalties and dividends									0	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends									60.5	51.1	5.5
Other comprehensive loss									(23.5)	(7.2)	(10.1)
Comprehensive income									37.0	43.9	(4.6)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales
External									2,371.4	2,207.7	2,011.7
Intercompany									21.6	14.0	25.2
Total net sales									2,393.0	2,221.7	2,036.9
Cost of goods sold									1,946.3	1,825.6	1,702.2
Gross Profit									446.7	396.1	334.7
Selling, general and administrative expenses									61.0	55.9	56.8
Operating income (loss)									385.7	340.2	277.9
Non-operating income (expense), net									3.1	(9.6)	12.5
Income (loss) before income taxes									388.8	330.6	290.4
Income tax expense (benefit)									44.6	15.8	14.2
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									344.2	314.8	276.2
Royalties and dividends									(224.0)	(220.6)	(252.9)
Net income after royalties and dividends									120.2	94.2	23.3
Other comprehensive loss									(34.8)	(10.8)	(3.6)
Comprehensive income									85.4	83.4	20.4
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales
External									0	0	0
Intercompany									(281.6)	(255.4)	(270.6)
Total net sales									(281.6)	(255.4)	(270.6)
Cost of goods sold									(281.6)	(255.4)	(270.6)
Gross Profit									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating income (loss)									0	0	0
Non-operating income (expense), net									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries									(323.7)	(239.8)	(397.5)
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends									(323.7)	(239.8)	(397.5)
Royalties and dividends									0	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends									(323.7)	(239.8)	(397.5)
Other comprehensive loss									139.0	(30.4)	74.2
Comprehensive income									$ (184.7)	$ (270.2)	$ (322.7)