Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 28,780	$ 28,583
Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	28,263	28,070
Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	517	513
North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	10,282	10,271
North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	10,234	10,212
North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	48	59
Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,639	3,539
Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,598	3,501
Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	41	38
Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,177	5,293
Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,124	5,257
Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	53	36
Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,120	1,974
Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,108	1,962
Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12	12
Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,339	4,323
Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,172	4,175
Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	167	148
Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,223	3,183
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,027	2,963
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	196	220
Customer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	20,121	19,883
Customer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	19,604	19,370
Customer | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	517	513
Customer | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,998	5,984
Customer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,950	5,925
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	48	59
Customer | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,501	2,555
Customer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,460	2,517
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	41	38
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,433	3,480
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,380	3,444
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	53	36
Customer | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,119	1,973
Customer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,107	1,961
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12	12
Customer | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,857	2,719
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,690	2,571
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	167	148
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,213	3,172
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,017	2,952
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	196	220
Dealer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,493	5,586
Dealer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,493	5,586
Dealer | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,776	2,931
Dealer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,776	2,931
Dealer | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	684	652
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	684	652
Dealer | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	983	945
Dealer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	983	945
Dealer | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1	1
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1	1
Dealer | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,049	1,057
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,049	1,057
Dealer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,166	3,114
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,166	3,114
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,508	1,356
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,508	1,356
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	454	332
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	454	332
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	761	868
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	761	868
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	433	547
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	433	547
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	10	11
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	10	11
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0