Basis of Presentation (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Operating lease revenue	$ 279		$ 239		$ 797		$ 689
Total revenues	743		699		2,182		2,074
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	226		199		653		558
Provision for credit losses	38		40		106		91
Total expenses	539		530		1,579		1,539
Other income (expense)	(7)		(5)		(16)		(45)
Profit before income taxes	197		164		587		490
Provision for income taxes	47		44		153		126
Profit of consolidated companies	150		120		434		364
Profit	148	[1]	117	[1]	427	[1]	355	[1]
Comprehensive income (loss)	(166)		237		152		320
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation	(168)		233		146		308
Retail notes receivable	11,121				11,121				10,858
Finance leases and installment sale contracts - Retail	14,669				14,669				14,551
Total finance receivables	30,494				30,494				30,042
Less: Allowance for credit losses	(405)				(405)				(387)	(429)
Total net finance receivables	29,179				29,179				28,679
Equipment on operating leases, less accumulated depreciation	3,609				3,609				3,544
Deferred and refundable income taxes	131				131				166
Other assets	1,041				1,041				1,060
Total assets	35,380				35,380				35,114
Payable to Caterpillar - other	52				52				80
Long-term debt	18,686				18,686				18,737
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities	542				542				512
Total liabilities	31,437				31,437				31,123
Retained earnings	3,231				3,231				3,004
Total stockholder's equity	3,943		3,940		3,943		3,940		3,991	3,720
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity	35,380				35,380				35,114
Depreciation and amortization					663		572
Other, net					(6)		72
Receivables from others					(11)		8
Other receivables/payables with Caterpillar					4		4
Accrued expenses and other liabilities, net					(14)		(27)
Net cash provided by operating activities					1,003		715
Capital expenditures for equipment on operating leases and other capital expenditures	(427)		(473)		(1,206)		(1,260)
Additions to finance receivables					(10,793)		(10,386)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities					(1,777)		(1,589)
As Previously Reported
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Operating lease revenue			238				687
Total revenues			698				2,072
Depreciation on equipment leased to others			198				556
Provision for credit losses			39				86
Total expenses			528				1,532
Other income (expense)			(5)				(30)
Profit before income taxes			165				510
Provision for income taxes			44				131
Profit of consolidated companies			121				379
Profit			118				370
Comprehensive income (loss)			238				335
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation			234				323
Retail notes receivable			11,105				11,105		10,863
Finance leases and installment sale contracts - Retail			14,408				14,408		14,582
Total finance receivables			29,845				29,845		30,078
Less: Allowance for credit losses			(404)				(404)		(378)
Total net finance receivables			28,470				28,470		28,724
Equipment on operating leases, less accumulated depreciation			3,279				3,279		3,530
Deferred and refundable income taxes			161				161		160
Other assets			1,024				1,024		1,059
Total assets			35,308				35,308		35,138
Payable to Caterpillar - other			73				73		96
Long-term debt			18,064				18,064		18,720
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities			521				521		517
Total liabilities			31,350				31,350		31,127
Retained earnings			2,964				2,964		3,024
Total stockholder's equity			3,958				3,958		4,011
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity			35,308				35,308		35,138
Depreciation and amortization							570
Other, net							57
Receivables from others							10
Other receivables/payables with Caterpillar							2
Accrued expenses and other liabilities, net							(22)
Net cash provided by operating activities							713
Capital expenditures for equipment on operating leases and other capital expenditures							(1,244)
Additions to finance receivables							(10,400)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities							(1,587)
Adjustment
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Operating lease revenue			1				2
Total revenues			1				2
Depreciation on equipment leased to others			1				2
Provision for credit losses			1				5
Total expenses			2				7
Other income (expense)			0				(15)
Profit before income taxes			(1)				(20)
Provision for income taxes			0				(5)
Profit of consolidated companies			(1)				(15)
Profit			(1)				(15)
Comprehensive income (loss)			(1)				(15)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation			(1)				(15)
Retail notes receivable			(4)				(4)		(5)
Finance leases and installment sale contracts - Retail			(27)				(27)		(31)
Total finance receivables			(31)				(31)		(36)
Less: Allowance for credit losses			(8)				(8)		(9)
Total net finance receivables			(39)				(39)		(45)
Equipment on operating leases, less accumulated depreciation			16				16		14
Deferred and refundable income taxes			5				5		6
Other assets			1				1		1
Total assets			(17)				(17)		(24)
Payable to Caterpillar - other			(10)				(10)		(16)
Long-term debt			15				15		17
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities			(4)				(4)		(5)
Total liabilities			1				1		(4)
Retained earnings			(18)				(18)		(20)
Total stockholder's equity			(18)				(18)		(20)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity			(17)				(17)		(24)
Depreciation and amortization							2
Other, net							15
Receivables from others							(2)
Other receivables/payables with Caterpillar							2
Accrued expenses and other liabilities, net							(5)
Net cash provided by operating activities							2
Capital expenditures for equipment on operating leases and other capital expenditures							(16)
Additions to finance receivables							14
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities							(2)
As Revised
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Operating lease revenue			239				689
Total revenues			699				2,074
Depreciation on equipment leased to others			199				558
Provision for credit losses			40				91
Total expenses			530				1,539
Other income (expense)			(5)				(45)
Profit before income taxes			164				490
Provision for income taxes			44				126
Profit of consolidated companies			120				364
Profit			117				355
Comprehensive income (loss)			237				320
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation			233				308
Retail notes receivable			11,101				11,101		10,858
Finance leases and installment sale contracts - Retail			14,381				14,381		14,551
Total finance receivables			29,814				29,814		30,042
Less: Allowance for credit losses			(412)				(412)		(387)
Total net finance receivables			28,431				28,431		28,679
Equipment on operating leases, less accumulated depreciation			3,295				3,295		3,544
Deferred and refundable income taxes			166				166		166
Other assets			1,025				1,025		1,060
Total assets			35,291				35,291		35,114
Payable to Caterpillar - other			63				63		80
Long-term debt			18,079				18,079		18,737
Deferred income taxes and other liabilities			517				517		512
Total liabilities			31,351				31,351		31,123
Retained earnings			2,946				2,946		3,004
Total stockholder's equity			3,940				3,940		3,991
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity			35,291				35,291		35,114
Depreciation and amortization							572
Other, net							72
Receivables from others							8
Other receivables/payables with Caterpillar							4
Accrued expenses and other liabilities, net							(27)
Net cash provided by operating activities							715
Capital expenditures for equipment on operating leases and other capital expenditures							(1,260)
Additions to finance receivables							(10,386)
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities							(1,589)
Retained earnings
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Profit of consolidated companies					427		355
Total stockholder's equity	3,231		2,946		3,231		2,946		3,004	2,691
Retained earnings | As Previously Reported
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Profit							370
Total stockholder's equity			2,964				2,964
Retained earnings | Adjustment
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Profit							(15)
Total stockholder's equity			(18)				(18)
Retained earnings | As Revised
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements
Profit							355
Total stockholder's equity			$ 2,946				$ 2,946

[1] Profit attributable to Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation.