| **Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 18             | 49             |  | 53 |  | 88 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | $ 2            | $ 75           |  | $ 43 |  | $ 139 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 2              | 75             |  | 43 |  | 139 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 16             | 8              |  | 41 |  | 48 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 3              | 4              |  | 23 |  | 15 |  |
| Customer | North America                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 18             | 15             |  | 41 |  | 39 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 2              | 4              |  | 4 |  | 9 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 2              | 4              |  | 4 |  | 9 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 14             | 7              |  | 25 |  | 41 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 1              | 3              |  | 2 |  | 9 |  |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 5              |  | 7 |  | 6 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0              | 6              |  | 7 |  | 7 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 6              |  | 7 |  | 7 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 1              |  | 0 |  | 1 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0              | 1              |  | 0 |  | 1 |  |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 4              |  | 0 |  | 12 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0              | 5              |  | 0 |  | 10 |  |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 5              |  | 0 |  | 10 |  |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 25             |  | 5 |  | 31 |  |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 0              | 60             | [1] | 32 | [2] | 113 | [3] |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0              | 60             | [1] | 32 | [2] | 113 | [3] |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 2              | 0              |  | 16 |  | 6 |  |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2              | 0              |  | 21 | [4] | 5 |  |
| Additional investments not recorded                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 6              |           |  | 15 |  |   |  |
| Remaining commitments                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | $ 7            |           |  | $ 7 |  |   |  |
| Dealer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |           |           |  |   |  |   |  |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 0              | 0              |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| [1]Two customers comprise $55 million of the $60 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the three months ended June 30, 2011.[2]Three customers comprise the $32 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the six months ended June 30, 2012.[3]Four customers comprise $105 million of the $113 million pre-TDR and post-TDR outstanding recorded investment for the six months ended June 30, 2011.[4]Two customers comprise $19 million of the $21 million post-TDR recorded investment for the six months ended June 30, 2012. |

| 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                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**cfsc_TdrsWhichHadBeenModifiedWithinTwelveMonthsOfDefaultDateAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**cfsc_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |