Finance Receivables - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Finance lease revenue	$ 110	$ 106	$ 323	$ 314
Financing receivable, average term	51 months		51 months
Financing receivable, average remaining term	27 months		27 months
Financing receivable, write-off	$ 42	22	$ 145	63
Period after which unpaid installments are considered as past due	30 days		30 days
Payment Deferral
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, modified in period, maximum period			4 months
Extended Maturity
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, modified in period, maximum period			6 months
Dealer
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, write-off	$ 0	0	$ 47	0
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	0		0
Financing receivable, modified in period	0	0	0	0
Dealer | Latin America
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, gross write-offs			47
Prior to 2019					$ 47
Financing receivable, nonaccrual					47
Caterpillar Purchased Receivables
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, write-off	0	0	0	0
Financing receivable, modified in period	0	0	0	0
Customer
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, write-off	42	22	98	63
Financing receivable, gross write-offs	1	1	10	3
Prior to 2019	331		331		255
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	206		206		152
Financing receivable, modified in period	$ 6	$ 13	$ 12	$ 38
Financing receivable, modified in period, percentage	0.03%	0.05%	0.05%	0.14%
Financing receivable, modified, average term increase	5 months	8 months	8 months	17 months
Financing receivable, modified, average payment delay	4 months	6 months	6 months	7 months
Customer | Latin America
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable
Financing receivable, write-off	$ 7	$ 4	$ 22	$ 11
Financing receivable, gross write-offs	0	$ 1	8	$ 1
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	$ 25		$ 25		$ 48