Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 contracts	Sep. 30, 2013 contracts	Sep. 30, 2014 contracts	Sep. 30, 2013 contracts
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	75	82	123	136
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	$ 175	$ 195	$ 294	$ 237
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	173	196	280	240
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	15	10	29	25
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	1	3	7
Customer | North America
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	20	14	24	46
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	9	1	11	5
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	3	0	5	5
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	3	5	10	18
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	1	1	4
Customer | Europe
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	0	7	8	15
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	5	7	6
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	5	7	6
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	5	5	12	5
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	0	2	0
Customer | Mining
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	45	45	47	45
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	122	123	165	123
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	124	123	157	123
Customer | Latin America
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	3	10	31	20
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	1	31	2
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	1	30	2
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts	7	0	7	0
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	0	0	0
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	7	6	13	10
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	44	65	80	101
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	46	67	81	104
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts			0	2
Post-TDR Recorded Investment			0	3
Additional investments not recorded	0	13	0	25
Remaining commitments	$ 0		$ 0
Dealer
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	0	0	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Loans and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	0	0	0	0