Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	$ 757	$ 723	$ 1,493	$ 1,413
Profit before income taxes	141	100	283	224
Interest Expense	200	190	401	364
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	204	209	406	408
Provision for credit losses	71	104	124	171
Assets	34,565		34,565		$ 34,181
Capital expenditures	459	533	705	894
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	750	708	1,475	1,384
Profit before income taxes	182	109	363	257
Interest Expense	191	189	382	362
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	204	208	406	407
Provision for credit losses	71	104	124	164
Assets	32,933		32,933		32,598
Capital expenditures	453	531	696	800
Unallocated
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	15	23	34	45
Profit before income taxes	(83)	(65)	(166)	(132)
Interest Expense	65	62	129	120
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	1	0	1
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Assets	2,140		2,140		1,957
Capital expenditures	6	2	9	94
Timing
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	(8)	(8)	(16)	(16)
Profit before income taxes	(4)	9	(9)	6
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	7
Assets	22		22		55
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Methodology
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	0	0	0	0
Profit before income taxes	46	47	95	93
Interest Expense	(56)	(61)	(110)	(118)
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Assets	(201)		(201)		(159)
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Inter-segment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	0	0	0	0
Profit before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Assets	(329)		(329)		(270)
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
North America | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	414	378	815	739
Profit before income taxes	131	105	247	200
Interest Expense	99	91	196	173
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	146	144	290	279
Provision for credit losses	2	8	9	25
Assets	15,990		15,990		15,632
Capital expenditures	388	456	567	666
EAME | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	73	71	145	139
Profit before income taxes	22	5	46	12
Interest Expense	13	13	27	23
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	17	19	34	39
Provision for credit losses	(2)	13	(3)	24
Assets	4,917		4,917		4,862
Capital expenditures	18	22	41	36
Asia/Pacific | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	105	95	199	177
Profit before income taxes	52	44	94	84
Interest Expense	29	30	59	55
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	3	4	6	10
Provision for credit losses	5	(1)	8	(5)
Assets	4,737		4,737		4,639
Capital expenditures	4	3	10	7
Latin America | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	62	63	122	132
Profit before income taxes	3	(20)	6	(16)
Interest Expense	25	25	48	54
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	5	8	11	15
Provision for credit losses	13	36	29	48
Assets	3,040		3,040		2,972
Capital expenditures	17	19	19	27
Caterpillar Power Finance | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	26	31	55	65
Profit before income taxes	(33)	(36)	(49)	(39)
Interest Expense	11	15	24	27
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	1	0	1	1
Provision for credit losses	42	46	68	64
Assets	1,856		1,856		2,259
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Mining | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	70	70	139	132
Profit before income taxes	7	11	19	16
Interest Expense	14	15	28	30
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	32	33	64	63
Provision for credit losses	11	2	13	8
Assets	2,393		2,393		$ 2,234
Capital expenditures	$ 26	$ 31	$ 59	$ 64