Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 29,800	$ 29,102
Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	29,415	28,677
Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	385	425
North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	11,515	11,201
North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	11,486	11,175
North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	29	26
Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,943	3,871
Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,912	3,843
Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	31	28
Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,684	4,508
Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,627	4,458
Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	57	50
Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,208	2,148
Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,187	2,125
Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	21	23
Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,331	4,274
Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,166	4,095
Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	165	179
Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,119	3,100
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,037	2,981
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	82	119
Customer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	21,075	20,756
Customer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	20,690	20,331
Customer | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	385	425
Customer | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	6,714	6,595
Customer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	6,685	6,569
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	29	26
Customer | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,871	2,875
Customer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,840	2,847
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	31	28
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,313	3,334
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,256	3,284
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	57	50
Customer | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,204	2,143
Customer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,183	2,120
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	21	23
Customer | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,865	2,718
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,700	2,539
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	165	179
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,108	3,091
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,026	2,972
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	82	119
Dealer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,212	5,254
Dealer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,212	5,254
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	3,057	3,034
Dealer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,057	3,034
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	533	569
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	533	569
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	687	706
Dealer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	687	706
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	4	5
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4	5
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	931	940
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	931	940
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	3,513	3,092
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,513	3,092
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	1,744	1,572
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,744	1,572
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	539	427
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	539	427
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	684	468
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	684	468
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	535	616
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	535	616
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	11	9
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	11	9
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0