Financing Activities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Customer
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	$ 632		$ 632		$ 575
Unpaid Principal Balance	618		618		557
Related Allowance	61		61		56
Average Recorded Investment	618	748	596	716
Interest Income Recognized	4	5	7	11
Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	282		282		326
Unpaid Principal Balance	278		278		317
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	321	397	316	355
Interest Income Recognized	1	1	3	3
Customer | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	350		350		249
Unpaid Principal Balance	340		340		240
Related Allowance	61		61		56
Average Recorded Investment	297	351	280	361
Interest Income Recognized	3	4	4	8
Customer | North America
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	104		104		152
Unpaid Principal Balance	97		97		144
Related Allowance	12		12		15
Average Recorded Investment	123	266	132	273
Interest Income Recognized	1	3	2	6
Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	46		46		83
Unpaid Principal Balance	44		44		80
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	57	104	63	97
Interest Income Recognized	0	1	1	2
Customer | North America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	58		58		69
Unpaid Principal Balance	53		53		64
Related Allowance	12		12		15
Average Recorded Investment	66	162	69	176
Interest Income Recognized	1	2	1	4
Customer | Europe
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	83		83		83
Unpaid Principal Balance	82		82		79
Related Allowance	11		11		12
Average Recorded Investment	85	61	85	65
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	1
Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	45		45		47
Unpaid Principal Balance	44		44		46
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	45	8	45	7
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	0
Customer | Europe | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	38		38		36
Unpaid Principal Balance	38		38		33
Related Allowance	11		11		12
Average Recorded Investment	40	53	40	58
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	1
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	31		31		17
Unpaid Principal Balance	31		31		17
Related Allowance	4		4		3
Average Recorded Investment	27	24	25	27
Interest Income Recognized	0	1	1	1
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	3		3		4
Unpaid Principal Balance	3		3		4
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	3	6	3	5
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	0
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	28		28		13
Unpaid Principal Balance	28		28		13
Related Allowance	4		4		3
Average Recorded Investment	24	18	22	22
Interest Income Recognized	0	1	1	1
Customer | Mining
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	77		77		21
Unpaid Principal Balance	76		76		21
Related Allowance	7		7		4
Average Recorded Investment	49	8	37	8
Interest Income Recognized	1	0	1	0
Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	8		8		8
Unpaid Principal Balance	8		8		8
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	8	8	8	8
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	0
Customer | Mining | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	69		69		13
Unpaid Principal Balance	68		68		13
Related Allowance	7		7		4
Average Recorded Investment	41	0	29	0
Interest Income Recognized	1	0	1	0
Customer | Latin America
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	50		50		34
Unpaid Principal Balance	50		50		34
Related Allowance	7		7		6
Average Recorded Investment	45	56	39	53
Interest Income Recognized	1	1	1	2
Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	5		5		9
Unpaid Principal Balance	5		5		9
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	5	10	6	7
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	0
Customer | Latin America | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	45		45		25
Unpaid Principal Balance	45		45		25
Related Allowance	7		7		6
Average Recorded Investment	40	46	33	46
Interest Income Recognized	1	1	1	2
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	287		287		268
Unpaid Principal Balance	282		282		262
Related Allowance	20		20		16
Average Recorded Investment	289	333	278	290
Interest Income Recognized	1	0	2	1
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With No Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	175		175		175
Unpaid Principal Balance	174		174		170
Related Allowance	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	203	261	191	231
Interest Income Recognized	1	0	2	1
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Impaired Loans and Finance Leases With An Allowance Recorded
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	112		112		93
Unpaid Principal Balance	108		108		92
Related Allowance	20		20		16
Average Recorded Investment	86	72	87	59
Interest Income Recognized	0	0	0	0
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	0	0	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Recorded Investment	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0