Transfers of Receivables - Assets and Liabilities of Securitizations (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 7,059,000,000		$ 8,713,000,000	$ 8,153,000,000		$ 8,347,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	416,000,000	406,000,000	534,000,000	598,000,000	673,000,000	854,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	85,466,000,000			80,120,000,000
Related Debt	84,714,000,000		84,659,000,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,774,000,000		3,356,000,000
Related Debt	37,563,000,000		41,421,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,900,000,000		3,700,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	53,200,000,000		62,200,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	53,000,000,000		61,900,000,000
Related Debt	41,100,000,000		46,700,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Financing Receivable [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,600,000,000		3,300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	48,100,000,000		55,800,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	47,900,000,000		55,500,000,000
Related Debt	37,700,000,000		42,500,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Retail [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,300,000,000		2,800,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	29,600,000,000		36,000,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	29,400,000,000		35,700,000,000
Related Debt	25,000,000,000		29,800,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Wholesale [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	300,000,000		500,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	18,500,000,000		19,800,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	18,500,000,000		19,800,000,000
Related Debt	12,700,000,000		12,700,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	300,000,000		400,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	5,100,000,000		6,400,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	5,100,000,000		6,400,000,000
Related Debt	3,400,000,000		4,200,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,774,000,000		3,356,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	49,300,000,000		56,000,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	49,100,000,000		55,700,000,000
Related Debt	37,563,000,000		41,421,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Financing Receivable [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,500,000,000		3,000,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	44,200,000,000		49,600,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	44,000,000,000		49,300,000,000
Related Debt	34,200,000,000		37,200,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Retail [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,200,000,000		2,500,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	27,100,000,000		31,700,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	200,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	26,900,000,000		31,400,000,000
Related Debt	22,800,000,000		26,000,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Wholesale [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	300,000,000		500,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	17,100,000,000		17,900,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	17,100,000,000		17,900,000,000
Related Debt	11,400,000,000		11,200,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	300,000,000		400,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	5,100,000,000		6,400,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	5,100,000,000		6,400,000,000
Related Debt	3,400,000,000		4,200,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	100,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	3,900,000,000		6,200,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	3,900,000,000		6,200,000,000
Related Debt	3,500,000,000		5,300,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member] | Financing Receivable [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	100,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	3,900,000,000		6,200,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	3,900,000,000		6,200,000,000
Related Debt	3,500,000,000		5,300,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member] | Retail [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	100,000,000		300,000,000
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	2,500,000,000		4,300,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	2,500,000,000		4,300,000,000
Related Debt	2,200,000,000		3,800,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member] | Wholesale [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	1,400,000,000		1,900,000,000
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	1,400,000,000		1,900,000,000
Related Debt	1,300,000,000		1,500,000,000
Securitization Transactions [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member]
Securitization Transactions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment in Operating Leases, Before Allowance for Credit Losses	0		0
Financing and Loans and Leases Receivable Allowance	0		0
Finance Receivables & Net Investment In Operating Leases, After Allowance for Credit Losses	0		0
Related Debt	$ 0		$ 0