| **Financing Activities (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                   | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |        |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|--------|
||
| Customer                                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | $ 609          |           | $ 609  |   | $ 593 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 596            |           | 596    |   | 584 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 77             |           | 77     |   | 54 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 626            | 480            | 615    | 477 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 3              | 1              | 7      | 4 |   |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 361            |           | 361    |   | 378 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 358            |           | 358    |   | 377 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 378            | 321            | 376    | 316 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 3              | 1              | 4      | 3 |   |
| Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 248            |           | 248    |   | 215 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 238            |           | 238    |   | 207 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 77             |           | 77     |   | 54 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 248            | 159            | 239    | 161 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 3      | 1 |   |
| Customer | North America                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 38             |           | 38     |   | 53 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 33             |           | 33     |   | 50 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 3              |           | 3      |   | 7 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 45             | 83             | 48     | 89 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2              | 0              | 3      | 1 |   |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 27             |           | 27     |   | 28 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 25             |           | 25     |   | 27 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 28             | 57             | 28     | 63 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 2              | 0              | 3      | 1 |   |
| Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 11             |           | 11     |   | 25 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 8              |           | 8      |   | 23 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 3              |           | 3      |   | 7 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 17             | 26             | 20     | 26 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Europe                                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 70             |           | 70     |   | 73 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 66             |           | 66     |   | 71 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 8              |           | 8      |   | 11 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 66             | 68             | 69     | 69 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 48             |           | 48     |   | 45 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 48             |           | 48     |   | 45 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 45             | 45             | 45     | 45 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 22             |           | 22     |   | 28 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 18             |           | 18     |   | 26 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 8              |           | 8      |   | 11 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 21             | 23             | 24     | 24 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific                                                                             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 19             |           | 19     |   | 21 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 18             |           | 18     |   | 21 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 3              |           | 3      |   | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 21             | 17             | 22     | 16 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 5              |           | 5      |   | 2 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 4              |           | 4      |   | 2 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 5              | 3              | 5      | 3 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 14             |           | 14     |   | 19 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 14             |           | 14     |   | 19 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 3              |           | 3      |   | 4 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 16             | 14             | 17     | 13 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 1 |   |
| Customer | Mining                                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 1              |           | 1      |   | 1 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 1              |           | 1      |   | 1 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 6              | 8              | 4      | 8 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 1              |           | 1      |   | 1 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 1              |           | 1      |   | 1 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 4              | 8              | 3      | 8 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded                    |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 2              | 0              | 1      | 0 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Latin America                                                                            |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 45             |           | 45     |   | 37 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 46             |           | 46     |   | 37 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 15             |           | 15     |   | 8 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 50             | 22             | 47     | 24 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 10             |           | 10     |   | 7 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 10             |           | 10     |   | 7 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 9              | 5              | 9      | 6 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded             |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 35             |           | 35     |   | 30 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 36             |           | 36     |   | 30 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 15             |           | 15     |   | 8 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 41             | 17             | 38     | 18 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 1      | 0 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance                                                                |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 436            |           | 436    |   | 408 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 432            |           | 432    |   | 404 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 48             |           | 48     |   | 24 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 438            | 282            | 425    | 271 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 1      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 270            |           | 270    |   | 295 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 270            |           | 270    |   | 295 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 287            | 203            | 286    | 191 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 1              | 1              | 1      | 2 |   |
| Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 166            |           | 166    |   | 113 |
| Unpaid Principal Balance                                                                            | 162            |           | 162    |   | 109 |
| Related Allowance                                                                                   | 48             |           | 48     |   | 24 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 151            | 79             | 139    | 80 |   |
| Interest Income Recognized                                                                          | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Dealer                                                                                              |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | 0              | 0              | 0      | 0 |   |
| Caterpillar Purchased Receivables                                                                   |           |           |   |   |   |
| **Financing Receivable, Impaired**                                                                  |           |           |   |   |   |
| Recorded Investment                                                                                 | 0              |           | 0      |   | 0 |
| Average Recorded Investment                                                                         | $ 0            | $ 0            | $ 0    | $ 0 |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_FinancingReceivableImpairedLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| 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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