Finance Receivables (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	$ 424	$ 511
Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance	12
Receivables written off	(37)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	7	44
Provision for credit losses	60	162
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(9)	(1)
Balance at end of period	457	424
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			$ 215	$ 217
Collectively evaluated			242	207
Allowance, Ending Balance	457	424	457	424
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			648	672
Collectively evaluated			26,379	27,584
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			27,027	28,256
Customer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	375	486
Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance	12
Receivables written off	(37)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	7	44
Provision for credit losses	60	138
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(9)	(1)
Balance at end of period	408	375
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			176	178
Collectively evaluated			232	197
Allowance, Ending Balance	408	375	408	375
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			570	594
Collectively evaluated			18,111	18,770
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			18,681	19,364
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	45	21
Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance	0
Receivables written off	0	0
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	24
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at end of period	45	45
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			39	39
Collectively evaluated			6	6
Allowance, Ending Balance	45	45	45	45
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			78	78
Collectively evaluated			4,213	4,366
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			4,291	4,444
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	4	4
Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance	0
Receivables written off	0	0
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at end of period	4	4
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			0	0
Collectively evaluated			4	4
Allowance, Ending Balance	$ 4	$ 4	4	4
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			0	0
Collectively evaluated			4,055	4,448
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			$ 4,055	$ 4,448