| **Financing Activities (Details 2) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                 | 12 Months Ended |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| Customer                                                                                            |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | $ 682           | $ 575 | $ 641 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 670             | 557 | 626 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 73              | 56 | 79 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 640             | 682 | 604 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 15              | 22 | 23 |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 378             | 326 | 283 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 377             | 317 | 281 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 332             | 345 | 152 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 6               | 12 | 2 |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 304             | 249 | 358 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 293             | 240 | 345 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 73              | 56 | 79 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 308             | 337 | 452 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 9               | 10 | 21 |
| Customer | North America                                                                            |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 75              | 152 | 278 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 70              | 144 | 272 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 10              | 15 | 44 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 108             | 233 | 310 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 4               | 9 | 13 |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 28              | 83 | 87 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 27              | 80 | 87 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 50              | 91 | 39 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 3               | 4 | 2 |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 47              | 69 | 191 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 43              | 64 | 185 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 10              | 15 | 44 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 58              | 142 | 271 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1               | 5 | 11 |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                   |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 85              | 83 | 68 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 82              | 79 | 61 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 14              | 12 | 15 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 88              | 61 | 92 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 3               | 2 | 4 |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 45              | 47 | 6 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 45              | 46 | 4 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 45              | 11 | 7 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1               | 0 | 0 |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 40              | 36 | 62 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 37              | 33 | 57 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 14              | 12 | 15 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 43              | 50 | 85 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 2 | 4 |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 37              | 17 | 32 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 37              | 17 | 32 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 8               | 3 | 7 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 30              | 22 | 40 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 1 | 3 |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded              |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 2               | 4 | 5 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 2               | 4 | 5 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 3               | 5 | 6 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded              |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 35              | 13 | 27 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 35              | 13 | 27 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 8               | 3 | 7 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 27              | 17 | 34 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 1 | 3 |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                   |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 24              | 21 | 8 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 24              | 21 | 8 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 5               | 4 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 46              | 14 | 9 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 1 | 0 |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 1               | 8 | 8 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 1               | 8 | 8 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 8               | 8 | 3 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0               | 1 | 0 |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 23              | 13 | 0 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 23              | 13 | 0 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 5               | 4 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 38              | 6 | 6 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 0 | 0 |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                            |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 50              | 34 | 47 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 50              | 34 | 46 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 12              | 6 | 9 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 49              | 48 | 44 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 3 | 3 |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 7               | 9 | 3 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 7               | 9 | 3 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 6               | 9 | 5 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0               | 1 | 0 |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 43              | 25 | 44 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 43              | 25 | 43 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 12              | 6 | 9 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 43              | 39 | 39 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 2 | 3 |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 411             | 268 | 208 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 407             | 262 | 207 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 24              | 16 | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 319             | 304 | 109 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 6 | 0 |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 295             | 175 | 174 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 295             | 170 | 174 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 220             | 221 | 92 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2               | 6 | 0 |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 116             | 93 | 34 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 112             | 92 | 33 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 24              | 16 | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 99              | 83 | 17 |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Dealer                                                                                              |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 0               | 0 | 19 |
| Dealer | Europe                                                                                     |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         |            |   | 19 |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                   |            |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |            |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | $ 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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