Financing Activities (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Customer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	$ 252	$ 446	$ 378
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	250	443	377
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	362	193	221
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	360	188	213
Related Allowance	75	73	56
Recorded Investment, Total	614	639	599
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	610	631	590
Related Allowance, Total	75	73	56
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	333	421	332
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	11	12	6
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	275	246	193
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	12	6	5
Average Recorded Investment, Total	608	667	525
Interest Income Recognized, Total	23	18	11
Customer \| North America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	14	23	28
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	14	22	27
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	6	13	25
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	6	13	23
Related Allowance	1	4	7
Recorded Investment, Total	20	36	53
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	20	35	50
Related Allowance, Total	1	4	7
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	20	25	50
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	3	3
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	9	18	25
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	29	43	75
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	4	4
Customer \| Europe
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	44	48	45
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	43	47	45
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	12	20	28
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	12	19	26
Related Allowance	4	7	11
Recorded Investment, Total	56	68	73
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	55	66	71
Related Allowance, Total	4	7	11
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	47	49	45
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	1	1
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	21	22	27
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	68	71	72
Interest Income Recognized, Total	2	2	2
Customer \| Asia/Pacific
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	2	7	2
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	2	7	2
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	29	17	19
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	29	17	19
Related Allowance	8	2	4
Recorded Investment, Total	31	24	21
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	31	24	21
Related Allowance, Total	8	2	4
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	3	4	3
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	23	18	15
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	26	22	18
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	1	1
Customer \| Mining
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	29	134	1
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	29	134	1
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	138	0	0
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	137	0	0
Related Allowance	9	0	0
Recorded Investment, Total	167	134	1
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	166	134	1
Related Allowance, Total	9	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	69	61	8
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	3	3	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	90	1	0
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	7	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	159	62	8
Interest Income Recognized, Total	10	3	0
Customer \| Latin America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	34	11	7
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	34	11	7
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	42	33	36
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	42	33	36
Related Allowance	12	9	10
Recorded Investment, Total	76	44	43
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	76	44	43
Related Allowance, Total	12	9	10
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	30	11	6
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	36	52	32
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	2	2
Average Recorded Investment, Total	66	63	38
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	2	2
Customer \| Caterpillar Power Finance
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	129	223	295
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	128	222	295
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	135	110	113
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	134	106	109
Related Allowance	41	51	24
Recorded Investment, Total	264	333	408
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	262	328	404
Related Allowance, Total	41	51	24
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	164	271	220
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	6	5	2
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	96	135	94
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	2	1	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	260	406	314
Interest Income Recognized, Total	8	6	2
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment, Total	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	0	0	0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment, Total	0	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

No definition available.

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Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 17

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5258-111524

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+ References

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- Definition

Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 14A

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953550-111524

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- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

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- Definition

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+ References

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- Definition

Amount of interest income, recognized on cash basis, on financing receivables, for which there is no related allowance for credit losses and are recognized as impaired.

+ References

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Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

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Amount of average investment of impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

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