Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Net sales
External	$ 969.1	$ 858.8
Intercompany	0us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties	0us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Total net sales	969.1us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	858.8us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Cost of goods sold	816.3us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	736.9us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Gross profit	152.8us-gaap_GrossProfit	121.9us-gaap_GrossProfit
Selling, general and administrative expenses	68.5	57.1
Operating income (loss)	(84.3)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(64.8)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Non-operating income (expense), net	(21.9)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(24.2)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income (loss) before income taxes	62.4	40.6
Income tax expense (benefit)	9.2us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	7.0us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	53.2	33.6
Royalties and dividends	0axl_RoyaltiesAndDividends	0axl_RoyaltiesAndDividends
Net income after royalties and dividends	53.2	33.6
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28.1)	13.8
Comprehensive income (loss)	25.1us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	47.4us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Holdings [Member]
Net sales
External	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Total net sales	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Non-operating income (expense), net	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	53.2	33.6
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	53.2	33.6
Royalties and dividends	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends	53.2	33.6
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28.1)	13.8
Comprehensive income (loss)	25.1	47.4
AAM Inc. [Member]
Net sales
External	274.9	227.9
Intercompany	3.1	2.8
Total net sales	278.0	230.7
Cost of goods sold	270.9	231.9
Gross profit	7.1	(1.2)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	59.5	48.6
Operating income (loss)	52.4	49.8
Non-operating income (expense), net	(25.4)	(25.8)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(77.8)	(75.6)
Income tax expense (benefit)	4.5	0.4
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	74.9	54.5
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	(7.4)	(21.5)
Royalties and dividends	60.6	55.1
Net income after royalties and dividends	53.2	33.6
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28.1)	13.8
Comprehensive income (loss)	25.1	47.4
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales
External	57.2	58.0
Intercompany	64.4	58.1
Total net sales	121.6	116.1
Cost of goods sold	100.7	99.6
Gross profit	20.9	16.5
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0.1
Operating income (loss)	(20.9)	(16.4)
Non-operating income (expense), net	2.3	2.7
Income (loss) before income taxes	23.2	19.1
Income tax expense (benefit)	(0.4)	0
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	(6.0)	(9.2)
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	17.6	9.9
Royalties and dividends	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends	17.6	9.9
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(27.0)	7.8
Comprehensive income (loss)	(9.4)	17.7
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales
External	637.0	572.9
Intercompany	4.6	5.9
Total net sales	641.6	578.8
Cost of goods sold	516.8	472.2
Gross profit	124.8	106.6
Selling, general and administrative expenses	9.0	8.4
Operating income (loss)	(115.8)	(98.2)
Non-operating income (expense), net	1.2	(1.1)
Income (loss) before income taxes	117.0	97.1
Income tax expense (benefit)	5.1	6.6
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	111.9	90.5
Royalties and dividends	(60.6)	(55.1)
Net income after royalties and dividends	51.3	35.4
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28.7)	8.9
Comprehensive income (loss)	22.6	44.3
Elims [Member]
Net sales
External	0	0
Intercompany	(72.1)	(66.8)
Total net sales	(72.1)	(66.8)
Cost of goods sold	(72.1)	(66.8)
Gross profit	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Non-operating income (expense), net	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Earnings (loss) from equity in subsidiaries	(122.1)	(78.9)
Net income (loss) before royalties and dividends	(122.1)	(78.9)
Royalties and dividends	0	0
Net income after royalties and dividends	(122.1)	(78.9)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	83.8	(30.5)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (38.3)	$ (109.4)

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.