Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 customer	Mar. 31, 2011 customer
Global Power Finance
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of customers	3	4
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of customers	2
Customer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	35	39
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	41	64
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	41	64
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	25	40
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	20	11
Customer | North America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	23	24
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	5
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	5
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	11	34
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	6
Customer | Europe
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	7	1
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	7	1
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	7	1
Customer | Latin America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts		8
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		5
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		5
Customer | Global Power Finance
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	5	6
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	32	53
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	32	53
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	14	6
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	19	5
Remaining commitments	14
Additional investments not recorded	9