Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 contracts	Jun. 30, 2012 contracts	Jun. 30, 2013 contracts	Jun. 30, 2012 contracts
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	36	18	50	53
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	$ 4	$ 2	$ 42	$ 43
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	5	2	44	43
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	5	16	15	41
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	3	6	23
Customer | North America
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	22	18	32	41
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	2	4	4
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	3	2	5	4
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	5	14	13	25
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	1	3	2
Customer | Europe
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	8	0	8	7
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	1	7
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	1	7
Customer | Latin America
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	6	0	6	0
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	1	0
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	1	0
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts			4	5
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment			36	32
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment			37	32
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	0	2	2	16
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	2	3	21
Additional investments not recorded	7		12
Remaining commitments	$ 19		$ 19
Dealer
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	0	0	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	0	0	0	0