| **Financing Activities (Details 7) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**      | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Loans Managed, Securitized or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement**                     |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Proceeds from sales of finance receivables and equipment on operating leases             | $ 244cfsc_ProceedsFromSaleOfFinanceReceivablesAndEquipmentOnOperatingLeases                                                                      | $ 243cfsc_ProceedsFromSaleOfFinanceReceivablesAndEquipmentOnOperatingLeases | $ 206cfsc_ProceedsFromSaleOfFinanceReceivablesAndEquipmentOnOperatingLeases |
| Pre-tax gains (losses) on sales of finance receivables and equipment on operating leases | 7cfsc_GainLossonSaleofFinanceReceivablesandEquipmentonOperatingLeases                                                                            | 4cfsc_GainLossonSaleofFinanceReceivablesandEquipmentonOperatingLeases | 3cfsc_GainLossonSaleofFinanceReceivablesandEquipmentonOperatingLeases |
| Off balance-sheet managed assets                                                         | 316us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized                                                                                | 322us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized | 291us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized |
| Servicing liability                                                                      | 1us-gaap_ServicingLiability                                                                                                                      | 2us-gaap_ServicingLiability | 1us-gaap_ServicingLiability |
| **Purchases of trade receivables from Caterpillar Entities**                             |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Amortization of receivables purchase discount                                            | 243cfsc_AmortizationOfReceivablesPurchaseDiscount                                                                                                | 233cfsc_AmortizationOfReceivablesPurchaseDiscount | 241cfsc_AmortizationOfReceivablesPurchaseDiscount |
| Retail notes receivable                                                                  |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| **Loans Managed, Securitized or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement**                     |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Off balance-sheet managed assets                                                         | 121us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailNotesReceivableMember           | 126us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailNotesReceivableMember | 49us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailNotesReceivableMember |
| Operating leases                                                                         |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| **Loans Managed, Securitized or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement**                     |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Off balance-sheet managed assets                                                         | 93us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_OperatingLeasesMember                  | 61us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_OperatingLeasesMember | 60us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_OperatingLeasesMember |
| Retail finance leases                                                                    |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| **Loans Managed, Securitized or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement**                     |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Off balance-sheet managed assets                                                         | 59us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailFinanceLeasesMember              | 103us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailFinanceLeasesMember | 116us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailFinanceLeasesMember |
| Retail installment sale contracts                                                        |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| **Loans Managed, Securitized or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement**                     |                                                                                                                                             |   |   |
| Off balance-sheet managed assets                                                         | $ 43us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailInstallmentSaleContractsMember | $ 32us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailInstallmentSaleContractsMember | $ 66us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized/ cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis= cfsc_RetailInstallmentSaleContractsMember |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the revenue recognized in the current period associated with the discount received on purchases of trade receivables from parent entity.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_AmortizationOfReceivablesPurchaseDiscount**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The gains (losses) included in earnings that represent the difference between the sale price and the carrying value of finance receivables and equipment on operating leases that were sold during the reporting period.  This element refers to the gain (loss) and not to the cash proceeds of the sales.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_GainLossonSaleofFinanceReceivablesandEquipmentonOperatingLeases**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash inflow associated with the sale of receivables arising from the financing of goods and services and equipment on operating leases.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cfsc_ProceedsFromSaleOfFinanceReceivablesAndEquipmentOnOperatingLeases**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_PurchasesOfTradeReceivablesFromCaterpillarAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_LoansManagedOrSecuritizedAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This is the sum of principal amount outstanding for both securitized and unsecuritized loans of all types.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=13989330&loc=d3e107314-111719
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_PrincipalAmountOutstandingOnLoansManagedAndSecuritized**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Aggregate amount of servicing liabilities that are subsequently measured at fair value and servicing liabilities that are subsequently measured using the amortization method.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 50 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122501-111745
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ServicingLiability**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis=cfsc_OperatingLeasesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis=cfsc_RetailFinanceLeasesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis=cfsc_RetailInstallmentSaleContractsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_OtherManagedAssetsByTypeAxis=cfsc_RetailNotesReceivableMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |