Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 68		$ 36		$ 26	$ 203
Accounts receivable, net	804		464
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	89		44
Prepaid expenses and other assets	108		75
Deferred taxes	42		104
Total current assets	1,111		723
Rental equipment, net	5,103		2,617
Property and equipment, net	426		366
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	4,228		372
Other long-term assets	124		65
Total assets	10,992		4,143
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	651	[1]	395	[1]
Accounts payable	408		206
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	455		263
Total current liabilities	1,514		864
Long-term debt	6,724		2,592
Subordinated convertible debentures	55		55
Deferred taxes	1,106		470
Other long-term liabilities	65		59
Total liabilities	9,464		4,040
Temporary equity (note 8)	33		39
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,495		64
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	10,992		4,143
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	106		114
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	106		114
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	41		41
Investments in subsidiaries	1,591		227
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	4		4
Total assets	1,742		386
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	135		129
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	4		31
Total current liabilities	139		160
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	55		55
Deferred taxes	20		16
Other long-term liabilities	0		52
Total liabilities	214		283
Temporary equity (note 8)	33		39
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,495		64
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,742		386
URNA [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	16		6		4	4
Accounts receivable, net	27		19
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(48)		(876)
Inventory	80		21
Prepaid expenses and other assets	88		55
Deferred taxes	39		100
Total current assets	202		(675)
Rental equipment, net	4,477		1,345
Property and equipment, net	330		177
Investments in subsidiaries	1,014		2,144
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	3,854		130
Other long-term assets	119		60
Total assets	9,996		3,181
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	41		8
Accounts payable	352		120
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	378		139
Total current liabilities	771		267
Long-term debt	6,566		2,444
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	1,004		241
Other long-term liabilities	64		2
Total liabilities	8,405		2,954
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,591		227
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	9,996		3,181
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		9
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(47)		772
Inventory	0		15
Prepaid expenses and other assets	9		1
Deferred taxes	0		3
Total current assets	(38)		800
Rental equipment, net	0		836
Property and equipment, net	18		120
Investments in subsidiaries	896		462
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		102
Other long-term assets	0		1
Total assets	876		2,321
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		47
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	37		48
Total current liabilities	37		95
Long-term debt	152		142
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		165
Other long-term liabilities	0		2
Total liabilities	189		404
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	687		1,917
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	876		2,321
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries Foreign [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	52		30		22	199
Accounts receivable, net	128		98
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(163)		(154)
Inventory	9		8
Prepaid expenses and other assets	11		19
Deferred taxes	3		1
Total current assets	40		2
Rental equipment, net	626		436
Property and equipment, net	37		28
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	374		140
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	1,077		606
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		3
Accounts payable	56		39
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	36		45
Total current liabilities	92		87
Long-term debt	6		6
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	82		48
Other long-term liabilities	1		3
Total liabilities	181		144
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	896		462
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,077		606
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries SPV [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	649		338
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	649		338
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	1		0
Total assets	650		338
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	475		255
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	475		255
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	475		255
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	175		83
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	650		338
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	152		144
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	152		144
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,501)		(2,833)
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	(3,349)		(2,689)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	0		0
Temporary equity (note 8)	0		0
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	(3,349)		(2,689)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (3,349)		$ (2,689)

[1] As of September 30, 2012, our short-term debt primarily reflects $475 of borrowings under our accounts receivable securitization facility and $135 of 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes. The 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes mature in 2015, but are reflected as short-term debt because they are redeemable at September 30, 2012.