Finance Receivables (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance for credit losses	$ 338	$ 401	$ 340	$ 338
Allowance for credit losses as a percent of net finance receivables			1.21%	1.22%
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	338	401
Receivables written off	(38)	(196)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	7	41
Provision for credit losses	28	117
Adjustment due to sale of receivables	0	(2)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5	(23)
Balance at end of period	340	338
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated for impairment			$ 58	$ 65
Collectively evaluated for impairment			282	273
Allowance, Ending Balance	338	401	340	338
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated for impairment			606	601
Collectively evaluated for impairment			27,528	27,125
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			28,134	27,726
Customer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance for credit losses	327	388	330	327
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	327	388
Receivables written off	(38)	(196)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	7	41
Provision for credit losses	29	119
Adjustment due to sale of receivables	0	(2)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5	(23)
Balance at end of period	330	327
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated for impairment			58	65
Collectively evaluated for impairment			272	262
Allowance, Ending Balance	327	388	330	327
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated for impairment			606	601
Collectively evaluated for impairment			19,498	19,431
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			20,104	20,032
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance for credit losses	9	10	8	9
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	9	10
Receivables written off	0	0
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	0	0
Provision for credit losses	(1)	(1)
Adjustment due to sale of receivables	0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at end of period	8	9
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated for impairment			0	0
Collectively evaluated for impairment			8	9
Allowance, Ending Balance	9	10	8	9
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated for impairment			0	0
Collectively evaluated for impairment			5,101	5,093
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			5,101	5,093
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance for credit losses	2	3	2	2
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	2	3
Receivables written off	0	0
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	(1)
Adjustment due to sale of receivables	0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at end of period	2	2
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated for impairment			0	0
Collectively evaluated for impairment			2	2
Allowance, Ending Balance	$ 2	$ 3	2	2
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated for impairment			0	0
Collectively evaluated for impairment			2,929	2,601
Recorded Investment in Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			$ 2,929	$ 2,601

-- None. No documentation exists for this element. --

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element represents the allowance for credit losses expressed as a percent of finance receivables which is net of unearned income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) from converting allowance reserve for credit loss to currency of reporting entity from amount denominated or measured in a different currency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Foreign Currency Translation
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- Definition

Amount of reduction of allowance reserve for credit loss arising from sale of loan and lease portfolios.

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- References

No definition available.

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- Definition

A valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

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- Definition

The valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible that were collectively evaluated for impairment.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of recovery of financing receivables doubtful of collection that were previously charged off.

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of direct write-downs of financing receivables charged against the allowance.

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- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were collectively evaluated for impairment.

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- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were individually evaluated for impairment.

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- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

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- Definition

Amount of expense related to estimated loss from loan and lease transactions.

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