Financing Activities (Details 4) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 27,591	$ 29,475
Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	26,977	29,003
Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	614	472
North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12,833	12,526
North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	12,803	12,499
North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	30	27
Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,237	3,581
Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,185	3,549
Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	52	32
Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,231	3,931
Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,206	3,877
Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	25	54
Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,855	2,126
Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,722	2,064
Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	133	62
Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,254	4,141
Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,994	3,940
Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	260	201
Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,181	3,170
Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,067	3,074
Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	114	96
Customer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	19,808	21,068
Customer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	19,200	20,600
Customer | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	608	468
Customer | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7,816	7,372
Customer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7,786	7,345
Customer | North America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	30	27
Customer | Europe
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,487	2,675
Customer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,441	2,647
Customer | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	46	28
Customer | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,278	2,893
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,253	2,839
Customer | Asia/Pacific | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	25	54
Customer | Mining
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,848	2,123
Customer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,715	2,061
Customer | Mining | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	133	62
Customer | Latin America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,207	2,857
Customer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,947	2,656
Customer | Latin America | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	260	201
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,172	3,148
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,058	3,052
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	114	96
Dealer
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,246	5,169
Dealer | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	5,246	5,169
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	3,528	3,209
Dealer | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3,528	3,209
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	400	467
Dealer | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	400	467
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	584	637
Dealer | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	584	637
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	3
Dealer | Mining | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	7	3
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	724	853
Dealer | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	724	853
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	3	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	3	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	2,537	3,238
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	2,531	3,234
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	6	4
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,489	1,945
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | North America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	1,489	1,945
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	350	439
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	344	435
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Europe | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	6	4
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	369	401
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Asia/Pacific | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	369	401
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	323	431
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Latin America | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	323	431
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	6	22
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Performing
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	6	22
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Caterpillar Power Finance | Nonperforming
Recorded investment in finance receivables
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0