2.4.0.82410401 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000764764duration2013-04-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli02false falsefalseD2012Q2http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000764764duration2012-04-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli03false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000764764duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 1us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.270.27falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.270.27falsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureA ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 47 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Estimated annual tax rate3false 2us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsOtherus-gaap_truecreditdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse70000007USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe portion of the difference between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to other tax credits generated or utilized under enacted tax laws during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319 false2Benefit reflecting the impact of the American Taxpayer Relief ActfalseIncome Taxes (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://finance.cat.com/role/IncomeTaxesDetails33