Finance Receivables - Maturities and Investments in Direct Financing Leases (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
Finance Receivables Due by Three Customers With Largest Receivables Balance	$ 1,100,000,000
North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	30,681,000,000
2014	10,544,000,000
2015	8,170,000,000
Thereafter	10,675,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	60,070,000,000
International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	10,848,000,000
2014	3,410,000,000
2015	1,573,000,000
Thereafter	1,033,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	16,864,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	48,468,000,000	47,522,000,000
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Less: Unearned interest supplements	(1,486,000,000)	(1,643,000,000)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	11,599,000,000
2014	9,992,000,000
2015	8,096,000,000
Thereafter	9,817,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	39,504,000,000	38,410,000,000
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Less: Unearned interest supplements	(1,264,000,000)	(1,407,000,000)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Retail [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	3,764,000,000
2014	2,658,000,000
2015	1,512,000,000
Thereafter	1,030,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	8,964,000,000	9,112,000,000
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Less: Unearned interest supplements	(222,000,000)	(236,000,000)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member]
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Total minimum lease rentals to be received	476,000,000	464,000,000
Initial direct costs	11,000,000	10,000,000
Estimated residual values	509,000,000	614,000,000
Less: Unearned income	(90,000,000)	(96,000,000)
Less: Unearned interest supplements	(19,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Recorded investment in direct financing leases	887,000,000	973,000,000
Less: Allowance for credit losses	(5,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Net investment in direct financing leases	882,000,000	966,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Total minimum lease rentals to be received	58,000,000	4,000,000
Initial direct costs	1,000,000	0
Estimated residual values	0	1,000,000
Less: Unearned income	(7,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Less: Unearned interest supplements	0	0
Recorded investment in direct financing leases	52,000,000	4,000,000
Less: Allowance for credit losses	(1,000,000)	0
Net investment in direct financing leases	51,000,000	4,000,000
Future Minimum Rentals From Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
2013	21,000,000
2014	12,000,000
2015	13,000,000
2016	9,000,000
Thereafter	3,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Finance Leases Financing Receivable [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Investment in Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
Total minimum lease rentals to be received	418,000,000	460,000,000
Initial direct costs	10,000,000	10,000,000
Estimated residual values	509,000,000	613,000,000
Less: Unearned income	(83,000,000)	(95,000,000)
Less: Unearned interest supplements	(19,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Recorded investment in direct financing leases	835,000,000	969,000,000
Less: Allowance for credit losses	(4,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Net investment in direct financing leases	831,000,000	962,000,000
Future Minimum Rentals From Direct Financing Leases [Abstract]
2013	188,000,000
2014	107,000,000
2015	75,000,000
2016	40,000,000
Thereafter	8,000,000
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Dealer Financing [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	18,017,000,000
2014	549,000,000
2015	72,000,000
Thereafter	856,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	19,494,000,000
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Dealer Financing [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	6,680,000,000
2014	752,000,000
2015	61,000,000
Thereafter	3,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	7,496,000,000
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other [Member] | North America Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	1,065,000,000
2014	3,000,000
2015	2,000,000
Thereafter	2,000,000
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	1,072,000,000
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other [Member] | International Segment [Member]
Finance Receivables Maturity [Abstract]
2013	404,000,000
2014	0
2015	0
Thereafter	0
Finance receivables before unearned interest supplements	$ 404,000,000