Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Receivables [Abstract]
Period after which finance receivables are considered non-performing (in days)	120 days
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	$ 24,406	$ 24,061
Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	24,021	23,636
Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	385	425
North America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	9,014	8,864
North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	8,985	8,838
North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	29	26
Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,028	3,025
Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,997	2,997
Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	31	28
Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,453	3,471
Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,396	3,421
Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	57	50
Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,204	2,144
Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,183	2,121
Mining | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	21	23
Latin America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,599	3,466
Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,434	3,287
Latin America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	165	179
Caterpillar Power Finance
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,108	3,091
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,026	2,972
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	82	119
Customer
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	20,603	20,296
Customer | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	20,218	19,871
Customer | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	385	425
Customer | North America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	6,702	6,581
Customer | North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	6,673	6,555
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	29	26
Customer | Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,871	2,875
Customer | Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,840	2,847
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	31	28
Customer | Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,853	2,888
Customer | Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,796	2,838
Customer | Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	57	50
Customer | Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,204	2,143
Customer | Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,183	2,120
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	21	23
Customer | Latin America
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,865	2,718
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,700	2,539
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	165	179
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,108	3,091
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,026	2,972
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	82	119
Dealer
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,803	3,765
Dealer | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,803	3,765
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	2,312	2,283
Dealer | North America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,312	2,283
Dealer | North America | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Europe
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	157	150
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	157	150
Dealer | Europe | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Asia Pacific
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	600	583
Dealer | Asia Pacific | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	600	583
Dealer | Asia Pacific | Nonperforming
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables
Dealer | Mining
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	0	1
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	0	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	734	748
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Finance Receivables
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	734	748
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