| **Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                    | 3 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
||
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 9              | 14 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | $ 48           | $ 38 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 46             | 39 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 14             | 10 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | 2              | 5 |
| Customer | North America                                                                               |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 3              | 10 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | 2              | 2 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 2              | 2 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 7              | 8 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | 1              | 2 |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                      |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 3              | 0 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | 5              | 0 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 5              | 0 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 7              | 0 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | 1              | 0 |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                      |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 1              | 0 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | 11             | 0 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 10             | 0 |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                               |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 1              | 0 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | 29             | 0 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 28             | 0 |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                   |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 1              | 4 |
| Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                                | 1              | 36 |
| Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment                                                               | 1              | 37 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 0              | 2 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | 0              | 3 |
| Additional investments not recorded                                                                    | 0              | 5 |
| Remaining commitments                                                                                  | $ 3            |   |
| Dealer                                                                                                 |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 0              | 0 |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                      |           |   |
| **Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                               |           |   |
| Number of Contracts                                                                                    | 0              | 0 |

| 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                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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 |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=SL6953676-111524
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Post-modification amount of investment in financing receivables modified by troubled debt restructurings.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=SL6953676-111524
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Pre-modification amount of investment in financing receivables modified by troubled debt restructurings.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=SL6953676-111524
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPreModificationRecordedInvestment2**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous 12 months and for which there was a payment default.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=SL6953682-111524
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of investment related to financing receivables modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous 12 months, for which there was a payment default.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28368275&loc=SL6953682-111524
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |