Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Receivables [Abstract]
Period after which finance receivables are considered non-performing (in days)	120 days
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	$ 24,145	$ 23,308
Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	23,648	22,795
Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	497	513
North America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	8,676	8,030
North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	8,637	7,971
North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	39	59
Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,942	2,740
Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,901	2,702
Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	41	38
Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,558	3,789
Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,507	3,753
Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	51	36
Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,294	1,974
Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,263	1,962
Mining | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	31	12
Latin America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,556	3,603
Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,362	3,455
Latin America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	194	148
Caterpillar Power Finance
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,119	3,172
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,978	2,952
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	141	220
Customer
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	20,275	19,424
Customer | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	19,778	18,911
Customer | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	497	513
Customer | North America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	6,327	5,967
Customer | North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	6,288	5,908
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	39	59
Customer | Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,766	2,555
Customer | Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,725	2,517
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	41	38
Customer | Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,993	3,038
Customer | Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,942	3,002
Customer | Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	51	36
Customer | Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,293	1,973
Customer | Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,262	1,961
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	31	12
Customer | Latin America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,777	2,719
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,583	2,571
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	194	148
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,119	3,172
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,978	2,952
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	141	220
Dealer
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,870	3,884
Dealer | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,870	3,884
Dealer | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	0	0
Dealer | North America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,349	2,063
Dealer | North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,349	2,063
Dealer | North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	176	185
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	176	185
Dealer | Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	565	751
Dealer | Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	565	751
Dealer | Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1	1
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1	1
Dealer | Mining | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Latin America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	779	884
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	779	884
Dealer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables