Financing Activities (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
Customer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	$ 230		$ 230		$ 446
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	229		229		443
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	386		386		193
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	383		383		188
Related Allowance	87		87		73
Recorded Investment, Total	616		616		639
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	612		612		631
Related Allowance, Total	87		87		73
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	276	468	358	414
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	2	3	9	7
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	321	270	242	255
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	5	2	9	5
Average Recorded Investment, Total	597	738	600	669
Interest Income Recognized, Total	7	5	18	12
Customer | North America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	15		15		23
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	15		15		22
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	7		7		13
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	7		7		13
Related Allowance	2		2		4
Recorded Investment, Total	22		22		36
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	22		22		35
Related Allowance, Total	2		2		4
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	19	23	22	26
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	1	3
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	10	14	10	18
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	29	37	32	44
Interest Income Recognized, Total	0	0	1	3
Customer | Europe
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	46		46		48
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	46		46		47
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	33		33		20
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	32		32		19
Related Allowance	9		9		7
Recorded Investment, Total	79		79		68
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	78		78		66
Related Allowance, Total	9		9		7
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	47	52	47	48
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	0	1	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	24	21	21	23
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	0	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	71	73	68	71
Interest Income Recognized, Total	2	0	2	1
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	1		1		7
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	1		1		7
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	22		22		17
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	22		22		17
Related Allowance	7		7		2
Recorded Investment, Total	23		23		24
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	23		23		24
Related Allowance, Total	7		7		2
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	1	3	4	4
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	26	18	19	18
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	0	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	27	21	23	22
Interest Income Recognized, Total	0	0	1	1
Customer | Mining
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	10		10		134
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	10		10		134
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	144		144		0
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	142		142		0
Related Allowance	14		14		0
Recorded Investment, Total	154		154		134
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	152		152		134
Related Allowance, Total	14		14		0
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	29	96	82	40
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	2	3	2
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	127	0	75	1
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	2	0	4	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	156	96	157	41
Interest Income Recognized, Total	2	2	7	2
Customer | Latin America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	37		37		11
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	37		37		11
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	43		43		33
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	43		43		33
Related Allowance	14		14		9
Recorded Investment, Total	80		80		44
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	80		80		44
Related Allowance, Total	14		14		9
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	37	14	29	11
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	34	61	33	52
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	1	1	2
Average Recorded Investment, Total	71	75	62	63
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	1	1	2
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	121		121		223
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	120		120		222
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	137		137		110
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	137		137		106
Related Allowance	41		41		51
Recorded Investment, Total	258		258		333
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	257		257		328
Related Allowance, Total	41		41		51
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	143	280	174	285
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	1	4	2
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	100	156	84	143
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	1	2	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	243	436	258	428
Interest Income Recognized, Total	2	2	6	3
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment, Total	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	0	0	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment, Total	0		0		0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0