Finance Receivables (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 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	(73)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	13	44
Provision for credit losses	145	162
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(6)	(1)
Balance at end of period	515	424
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			$ 223	$ 217
Collectively evaluated			292	207
Allowance, Ending Balance	515	424	515	424
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			679	672
Collectively evaluated			26,177	27,584
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			26,856	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	(73)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	13	44
Provision for credit losses	146	138
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(6)	(1)
Balance at end of period	467	375
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			184	178
Collectively evaluated			283	197
Allowance, Ending Balance	467	375	467	375
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			601	594
Collectively evaluated			18,538	18,770
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			19,139	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			4,125	4,366
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			4,203	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	(1)	0
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Balance at end of period	3	4
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			0	0
Collectively evaluated			3	4
Allowance, Ending Balance	$ 3	$ 4	3	4
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			0	0
Collectively evaluated			3,514	4,448
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			$ 3,514	$ 4,448