Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 29,584	$ 29,066
Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	29,021	28,610
Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	563	456
North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12,242	11,186
North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12,219	11,160
North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	23	26
Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,749	3,871
Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,711	3,843
Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	38	28
Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,179	4,492
Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,088	4,442
Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	91	50
Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,091	2,148
Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,051	2,125
Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	40	23
Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	4,215	4,269
Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,974	4,059
Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	241	210
Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,108	3,100
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,978	2,981
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	130	119
Customer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	21,170	20,720
Customer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	20,607	20,264
Customer | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	563	456
Customer | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7,157	6,580
Customer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7,134	6,554
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	23	26
Customer | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,797	2,875
Customer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,759	2,847
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	38	28
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,148	3,318
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,057	3,268
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	91	50
Customer | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,084	2,143
Customer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,044	2,120
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	40	23
Customer | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,890	2,713
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,649	2,503
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	241	210
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,094	3,091
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,964	2,972
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	130	119
Dealer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,418	5,254
Dealer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,418	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	3,390	3,034
Dealer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,390	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	503	569
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	503	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	654	706
Dealer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	654	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	7	5
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7	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	864	940
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	864	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	2,996	3,092
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,996	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	1,695	1,572
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,695	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	449	427
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	449	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	377	468
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	377	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	461	616
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	461	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	14	9
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	14	9
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0