| **Financing Activities (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                   | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended |        |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|--------|
||
| Customer                                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | $ 730          |           | $ 730  |   | $ 575 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 719            |           | 719    |   | 557 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 75             |           | 75     |   | 56 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 685            | 720            | 628    | 714 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 5              | 3              | 12     | 14 |   |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 375            |           | 375    |   | 326 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 373            |           | 373    |   | 317 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 325            | 365            | 322    | 356 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2              | 2              | 5      | 5 |   |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 355            |           | 355    |   | 249 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 346            |           | 346    |   | 240 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 75             |           | 75     |   | 56 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 360            | 355            | 306    | 358 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 3              | 1              | 7      | 9 |   |
| Customer | North America                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 80             |           | 80     |   | 152 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 75             |           | 75     |   | 144 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 9              |           | 9      |   | 15 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 93             | 217            | 119    | 253 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 3      | 7 |   |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 42             |           | 42     |   | 83 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 41             |           | 41     |   | 80 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 42             | 91             | 56     | 93 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 2      | 3 |   |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 38             |           | 38     |   | 69 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 34             |           | 34     |   | 64 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 9              |           | 9      |   | 15 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 51             | 126            | 63     | 160 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 4 |   |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 94             |           | 94     |   | 83 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 92             |           | 92     |   | 79 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 17             |           | 17     |   | 12 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 89             | 54             | 87     | 61 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 1      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 44             |           | 44     |   | 47 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 44             |           | 44     |   | 46 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 45             | 10             | 45     | 8 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 50             |           | 50     |   | 36 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 48             |           | 48     |   | 33 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 17             |           | 17     |   | 12 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 44             | 44             | 42     | 53 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 1      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 38             |           | 38     |   | 17 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 38             |           | 38     |   | 17 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 7              |           | 7      |   | 3 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 32             | 14             | 27     | 23 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 1              | 1      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 4              |           | 4      |   | 4 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 4              |           | 4      |   | 4 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 3              | 5              | 3      | 5 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 1              | 0      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 34             |           | 34     |   | 13 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 34             |           | 34     |   | 13 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 7              |           | 7      |   | 3 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 29             | 9              | 24     | 18 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 77             |           | 77     |   | 21 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 76             |           | 76     |   | 21 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 7              |           | 7      |   | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 77             | 18             | 49     | 12 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 2      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 9              |           | 9      |   | 8 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 9              |           | 9      |   | 8 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 9              | 8              | 8      | 8 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 68             |           | 68     |   | 13 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 67             |           | 67     |   | 13 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 7              |           | 7      |   | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 68             | 10             | 41     | 4 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 2      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 60             |           | 60     |   | 34 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 60             |           | 60     |   | 34 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 17             |           | 17     |   | 6 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 64             | 51             | 48     | 52 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 2      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 7              |           | 7      |   | 9 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 7              |           | 7      |   | 9 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 6              | 11             | 6      | 8 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 53             |           | 53     |   | 25 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 53             |           | 53     |   | 25 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 17             |           | 17     |   | 6 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 58             | 40             | 42     | 44 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 2      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 381            |           | 381    |   | 268 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 378            |           | 378    |   | 262 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 18             |           | 18     |   | 16 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 330            | 366            | 298    | 313 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 3      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 269            |           | 269    |   | 175 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 268            |           | 268    |   | 170 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 220            | 240            | 204    | 234 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 0              | 3      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 112            |           | 112    |   | 93 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 110            |           | 110    |   | 92 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 18             |           | 18     |   | 16 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 110            | 126            | 94     | 79 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Dealer                                                                                              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | $ 0            | $ 0            | $ 0    | $ 0 |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5212-111524Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5258-111524
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of interest income recognized on a cash-basis method of accounting that the financing receivables (with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses) were impaired.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5212-111524
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 14A -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=SL6953550-111524
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5212-111524
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of unpaid principal balance of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without related allowance for credit losses.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (a)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5212-111524
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