Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	$ 641	$ 757	$ 1,336	$ 1,493
Profit before income taxes	89	141	216	283
Interest Expense	150	200	325	401
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	194	204	395	406
Provision for credit losses	86	71	147	124
Assets	32,073		32,073		$ 33,693
Capital expenditures	256	459	503	705
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	641	750	1,333	1,475
Profit before income taxes	106	181	248	362
Interest Expense	161	191	343	383
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	194	204	395	406
Provision for credit losses	86	71	147	124
Assets	30,750		30,750		32,402
Capital expenditures	251	453	497	696
Unallocated
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	6	15	15	34
Profit before income taxes	(64)	(83)	(134)	(166)
Interest Expense	46	65	102	129
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Assets	1,799		1,799		1,896
Capital expenditures	5	6	6	9
Segment Reconciling Items | Timing
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	(6)	(8)	(12)	(16)
Profit before income taxes	(1)	(4)	(2)	(9)
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	11		11		16
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Segment Reconciling Items | Methodology
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	0	0	0	0
Profit before income taxes	48	47	104	96
Interest Expense	(57)	(56)	(120)	(111)
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Assets	(136)		(136)		(216)
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	(351)		(351)		(405)
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
North America | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	356	412	738	812
Profit before income taxes	62	131	137	247
Interest Expense	87	98	181	195
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	139	145	283	288
Provision for credit losses	25	2	47	9
Assets	14,684		14,684		15,496
Capital expenditures	221	388	441	566
EAME | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	63	71	133	141
Profit before income taxes	14	22	30	45
Interest Expense	10	13	23	26
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	15	17	31	34
Provision for credit losses	6	(2)	13	(3)
Assets	4,786		4,786		4,918
Capital expenditures	9	18	13	41
Asia/Pacific | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	82	99	168	187
Profit before income taxes	39	47	75	86
Interest Expense	23	27	50	56
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	3	3	5	6
Provision for credit losses	7	5	14	8
Assets	4,400		4,400		4,540
Capital expenditures	2	4	5	10
Latin America | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	48	59	101	117
Profit before income taxes	2	3	8	6
Interest Expense	21	24	44	46
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	3	4	6	9
Provision for credit losses	12	13	19	28
Assets	2,764		2,764		2,809
Capital expenditures	1	5	4	7
Caterpillar Power Finance | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	17	26	37	55
Profit before income taxes	(10)	(33)	(9)	(49)
Interest Expense	6	11	14	24
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	0	1	0	1
Provision for credit losses	18	42	23	68
Assets	1,409		1,409		1,673
Capital expenditures	0	0	0	0
Mining | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
External Revenues	75	83	156	163
Profit before income taxes	(1)	11	7	27
Interest Expense	14	18	31	36
Depreciation on equipment leased to others	34	34	70	68
Provision for credit losses	18	11	31	14
Assets	2,707		2,707		$ 2,966
Capital expenditures	$ 18	$ 38	$ 34	$ 72