Finance Receivables (Details 5) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Customer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	$ 143	$ 424
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	157	435
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	716	518
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	722	530
Related Allowance	288	149
Recorded Investment, Total	859	942
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	879	965
Related Allowance, Total	288	149
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	283	496	$ 481
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	15	23	18
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	598	365	211
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	22	13	7
Average Recorded Investment, Total	881	861	692
Interest Income Recognized, Total	37	36	25
Customer \| North America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	10	19
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	10	19
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	40	44
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	41	43
Related Allowance	14	17
Recorded Investment, Total	50	63
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	51	62
Related Allowance, Total	14	17
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	16	13	18
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	1	1
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	49	49	34
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	2	1	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	65	62	52
Interest Income Recognized, Total	3	2	1
Customer \| Europe
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	1	45
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	1	45
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	92	9
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	92	8
Related Allowance	57	5
Recorded Investment, Total	93	54
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	93	53
Related Allowance, Total	57	5
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	14	48	46
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	1	1
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	53	6	11
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	2	0	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	67	54	57
Interest Income Recognized, Total	2	1	2
Customer \| Asia/Pacific
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	1	34
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	1	33
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	4	8
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	4	8
Related Allowance	2	2
Recorded Investment, Total	5	42
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	5	41
Related Allowance, Total	2	2
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	28	24	2
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	3	2	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	5	31	37
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	2	3
Average Recorded Investment, Total	33	55	39
Interest Income Recognized, Total	3	4	3
Customer \| Mining
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	33	121
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	33	121
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	56	0
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	55	0
Related Allowance	26	0
Recorded Investment, Total	89	121
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	88	121
Related Allowance, Total	26	0
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	57	126	98
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	2	7	4
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	46	0	13
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	3	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	103	126	111
Interest Income Recognized, Total	5	7	4
Customer \| Latin America
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	29	45
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	29	45
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	75	95
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	75	106
Related Allowance	25	42
Recorded Investment, Total	104	140
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	104	151
Related Allowance, Total	25	42
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	38	64	47
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	2	3	1
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	67	99	66
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	3	4	2
Average Recorded Investment, Total	105	163	113
Interest Income Recognized, Total	5	7	3
Customer \| Caterpillar Power Finance
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	69	160
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	83	172
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	449	362
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	455	365
Related Allowance	164	83
Recorded Investment, Total	518	522
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	538	537
Related Allowance, Total	164	83
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	130	221	270
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	7	9	11
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	378	180	50
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	12	6	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	508	401	320
Interest Income Recognized, Total	19	15	12
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Impaired
Recorded Investment, Total	78	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

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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.

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