<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001258618-11-000008
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20110701
<FILING-DATE>20110705
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20110705
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MCGUIRE THOMAS R
<CIK>0001258615
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-09511
<FILM-NUMBER>11948990
</FILING-VALUES>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INC
<CIK>0000728303
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5013
<IRS-NUMBER>942490990
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1982 ZANKER RD
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95112
<PHONE>4084368611
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1982 ZANKER RD
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95112
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>COAST RV INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19880619
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000728303</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001258615</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCGUIRE THOMAS R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>350 WOODVIEW AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MORGAN HILL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95037</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.95</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>494483</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Thomas R. McGuire</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-07-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
