Finance Receivables - Aging Analysis (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Number Of Days After Which Finance Receivable Is Considered Past Due	any payment, including principal and interest, that has not been collected and is at least 31 days past the contractual due date
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	$ 666
61-90 Days Past Due	97
91-120 Days Past Due	36
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	106
Total Past Due	905
Current	71,002
Financing Receivables	71,907	72,401	70,263
North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	628
61-90 Days Past Due	77
91-120 Days Past Due	25
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	68
Total Past Due	798
Current	54,951
Financing Receivables	55,749	54,574
International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	38
61-90 Days Past Due	20
91-120 Days Past Due	11
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	38
Total Past Due	107
Current	16,051
Financing Receivables	16,158	17,827
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	46,670	45,879
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	37,984	37,003
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	8,686	8,876
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	45,811	44,906
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	625
61-90 Days Past Due	72
91-120 Days Past Due	20
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	55
Total Past Due	772
Current	37,181
Financing Receivables	37,953	36,999
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	33
61-90 Days Past Due	18
91-120 Days Past Due	10
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	28
Total Past Due	89
Current	7,769
Financing Receivables	7,858	7,907
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	859	973
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	0
61-90 Days Past Due	0
91-120 Days Past Due	0
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	0
Total Past Due	0
Current	31
Financing Receivables	31	4
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	4
61-90 Days Past Due	2
91-120 Days Past Due	1
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	3
Total Past Due	10
Current	818
Financing Receivables	828	969
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	25,237	26,522
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	17,765	17,571
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	7,472	8,951
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Wholesale [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	22,605	23,996
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	0
61-90 Days Past Due	1
91-120 Days Past Due	1
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	2
Total Past Due	4
Current	15,579
Financing Receivables	15,583	15,480
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	1
61-90 Days Past Due	0
91-120 Days Past Due	0
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	4
Total Past Due	5
Current	7,017
Financing Receivables	7,022	8,516
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Dealer Loans [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	1,219	1,166
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Dealer Loans [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	3
61-90 Days Past Due	4
91-120 Days Past Due	4
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	11
Total Past Due	22
Current	1,139
Financing Receivables	1,161	1,103
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Dealer Loans [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	0
61-90 Days Past Due	0
91-120 Days Past Due	0
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	1
Total Past Due	1
Current	57
Financing Receivables	58	63
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Finance Receivables [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
Financing Receivables	1,413	1,360
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Finance Receivables [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	0
61-90 Days Past Due	0
91-120 Days Past Due	0
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	0
Total Past Due	0
Current	1,021
Financing Receivables	1,021	988
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Finance Receivables [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Aging Analysis [Abstract]
31-60 Days Past Due	0
61-90 Days Past Due	0
91-120 Days Past Due	0
Greater Than 120 Days Past Due	2
Total Past Due	2
Current	390
Financing Receivables	$ 392	$ 372