| **Finance Receivables (Details 7) $ in Millions**                                                      | 12 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 94              | 148 | 210 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 354           | $ 372 | $ 296 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 338           | $ 359 | $ 300 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 24              | 68 | 26 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 2             | $ 4 | $ 7 |
| Remaining commitments                                                                                  | 3               | 0 | 0 |
| Additional investments not recorded                                                                    | $ 4             | $ 0 | $ 25 |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                      |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Dealer                                                                                                 |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Customer | North America                                                                               |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 14              | 34 | 62 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 1             | $ 12 | $ 9 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 1             | $ 7 | $ 9 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 12              | 11 | 19 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 1             | $ 1 | $ 4 |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                      |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 23              | 8 | 51 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 2             | $ 7 | $ 7 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 2             | $ 7 | $ 7 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 0               | 46 | 5 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 0             | $ 2 | $ 0 |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                                |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 21              | 2 | 3 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 26            | $ 0 | $ 1 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 26            | $ 0 | $ 1 |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                      |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 4               | 51 | 45 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 65            | $ 185 | $ 123 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 65            | $ 176 | $ 123 |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                               |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 11              | 35 | 32 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 1             | $ 31 | $ 3 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 2             | $ 30 | $ 3 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 12              | 11 | 0 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 1             | $ 1 | $ 0 |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                   |            |   |   |
| **Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs**                                                |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 21              | 18 | 17 |
| Pre-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                            | $ 259           | $ 137 | $ 153 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 242           | $ 139 | $ 157 |
| **TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date** |            |   |   |
| Number of Contracts | contracts                                                                        | 0               | 0 | 2 |
| Post-TDR Recorded Investment                                                                           | $ 0             | $ 0 | $ 3 |

| 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.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Loans and leases modified as TDRs within previous twelve months that subsequently defaulted
+ References
No definition available.
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| 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=49124121&loc=SL6953676-111524
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| 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=49124121&loc=SL6953676-111524
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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=49124121&loc=SL6953676-111524
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| 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=49124121&loc=SL6953682-111524
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| 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=49124121&loc=SL6953682-111524
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Reflects the unfunded portion of contractual agreements to lend funds to borrowers for loans whose terms have been modified by troubled debt restructuring.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                           |
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