Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 3) - Finance Receivables - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Allowance for credit loss activity:
Balance at beginning of year	$ 507	$ 362
Receivables written off	(281)	(235)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	44	46
Provision for credit losses	162	349
Other	(12)	(15)
Balance at end of year	420	507
Allowance for Credit Losses:
Individually evaluated for impairment			$ 217	$ 302
Collectively evaluated for impairment			203	205
Ending Balance	507	507	420	507
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables:
Individually evaluated for impairment			672	936
Collectively evaluated for impairment			21,725	21,490
Total			22,397	22,426
Customer
Allowance for credit loss activity:
Balance at beginning of year	486	353
Receivables written off	(281)	(235)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	44	46
Provision for credit losses	138	337
Other	(12)	(15)
Balance at end of year	375	486
Allowance for Credit Losses:
Individually evaluated for impairment			178	288
Collectively evaluated for impairment			197	198
Ending Balance	486	486	375	486
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables:
Individually evaluated for impairment			594	858
Collectively evaluated for impairment			18,093	18,152
Total			18,687	19,010
Dealer
Allowance for credit loss activity:
Balance at beginning of year	21	9
Receivables written off	0	0
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	0	0
Provision for credit losses	24	12
Other	0	0
Balance at end of year	45	21
Allowance for Credit Losses:
Individually evaluated for impairment			39	14
Collectively evaluated for impairment			6	7
Ending Balance	$ 21	$ 21	45	21
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables:
Individually evaluated for impairment			78	78
Collectively evaluated for impairment			3,632	3,338
Total			$ 3,710	$ 3,416