| **Financing Activities (Details 6) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 12 Months Ended |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 199             |  | 125 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | $ 284           |  | $ 184 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 284             |  | 184 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 67              |  | 70 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 26              |  | 101 |  |
| Additional investments not recorded                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 24              |  | 15 |  |
| Remaining commitments                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1               |  |   |  |
| Customer | North America                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 98              |  | 71 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 15              |  | 13 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 15              |  | 13 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 49              |  | 48 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 4               |  | 26 |  |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 21              |  | 7 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 8               |  | 44 | [1] |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 8               |  | 44 | [1] |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 1 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0               |  | 1 |  |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 12              |  | 0 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 3               |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 3               |  | 0 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2               |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1               |  | 0 |  |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 41              |  | 12 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 5               |  | 10 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 5               |  | 10 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 7 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0               |  | 4 |  |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 27              |  | 35 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 253             | [2] | 117 | [3] |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 253             | [2] | 117 | [3] |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 16              |  | 14 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | $ 21            | [4] | $ 70 | [5] |
| Dealer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 0 |  |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |            |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |            |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 0               |  | 0 |  |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| [1]One customer comprises $43 million of the $44 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the year ended December 31, 2011.[2]Ten customers comprise $248 million of the $253 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the year ended December 31, 2012.[3]Three customers comprise $104 million of the $117 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the year ended December 31, 2011.[4]Two customers comprise $19 million of the $21 million post-TDR recorded investment for the year ended December 31, 2012.[5]Two customers comprise $65 million of the $70 million post-TDR recorded investment for the year ended December 31, 2011. |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of the additional funds subsequently loaned to a borrower whose terms had been modified in a troubled debt restructuring.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_AdditionalInvestmentsNotRecorded**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Represents the number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_FinancingReceivableModificationNumberOfContracts**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings after the financing receivable has been modified.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_FinancingReceivableModificationPostModificationRecordedInvestment**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings before the financing receivable has been modified.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_FinancingReceivableModificationPreModificationRecordedInvestment**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous twelve months but subsequently defaulted during the current period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_FinancingReceivableModificationRecordedInvestment**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous twelve months but subsequently defaulted during the current period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_FinancingReceivableModificationsDefaultedInCurrentPeriodNumberOfContracts**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_LoanAndFinanceLeaseReceivablesModifiedAsTdrsAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of remaining commitments to loan funds to a borrower whose terms had been modified in a troubled debt restructuring.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_RemainingCommitments**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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