Finance Receivables (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	$ 424	$ 511
Receivables written off	(212)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	27	44
Provision for credit losses	212	162
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(3)	(1)
Balance at end of period	460	424
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			$ 211	$ 217
Collectively evaluated			249	207
Allowance, Ending Balance	424	511	460	424
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			690	672
Collectively evaluated			25,791	27,584
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			26,481	28,256
Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	12
Balance at end of period		12
Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance, Ending Balance	12	12		12
Customer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	375	486
Receivables written off	(212)	(281)
Recoveries on receivables previously written off	27	44
Provision for credit losses	213	138
Adjustment due to sale of receivables		(11)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(3)	(1)
Balance at end of period	412	375
Allowance for Credit Losses
Individually evaluated			172	178
Collectively evaluated			240	197
Allowance, Ending Balance	375	375	412	375
Finance Receivables
Individually evaluated			612	594
Collectively evaluated			18,637	18,770
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			19,249	19,364
Customer | Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	12
Balance at end of period		12
Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance, Ending Balance	12	12		12
Dealer
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	45	21
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			3,609	4,366
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			3,687	4,444
Dealer | Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	0
Balance at end of period		0
Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance, Ending Balance	0	0		0
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	4	4
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			3,545	4,448
Finance Receivables, Ending Balance			$ 3,545	4,448
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables | Adjustment to adopt new accounting guidance | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses
Balance at beginning of year	0
Balance at end of period		0
Allowance for Credit Losses
Allowance, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0