Debt (Long Term Debt Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended						1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Oct. 30, 2010 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 1 7/8 percent Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 ABL Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 1/2 Subordinated Convertible Debentures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Maximum [Member] 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Maximum [Member] 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Minimum [Member] 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Minimum [Member] 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Change of Control [Member] 9 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Oct. 31, 2010 Change of Control [Member] 8 3/8 percent Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiaries [Member] ABL Facility [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 2014 [Member] RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2016 [Member] 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 2016 [Member] RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 2019 [Member] RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 8 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2015 [Member] 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2017 [Member] 5 3/4 percent Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2017 [Member] 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 2017 [Member] RSC Holdings Inc [Member] 10 1/4 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2018 [Member] 7 3/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 30, 2012 2020 [Member] 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount			$ 500				$ 750	$ 400			$ 173			$ 173							$ 750			$ 750			$ 1,325											$ 1,900	$ 200					$ 650
Stated interest rate				9.25%		8.375%			6.125%	1.875%	4.00%		4.00%	4.00%		6.50%	10.25%	8.25%		5.75%			7.375%			7.625%															10.25%		8.25%
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt			480		732			392				167							733			732			1,295
Redemption price percentage of face value								101.00%			100.00%								101.00%			101.00%			101.00%			104.625%	104.188%	103.063%		100.00%	100.00%	100.00%		101.00%	101.00%		101.00%						105.125%	103.688%	104.125%	100.00%	102.875%	100.00%	103.813%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Debt Instrument, Redemption purchase price in cash percent																																												101.00%
Debt instrument, unamortized portion of fair value adjustment from assumed carriying value																																								(23)		(45)
Effective interest rate			9.50%								6.90%																													8.30%		7.00%
Effective interest rate, historical											11.60%
Derivative cost of hedge		26										26
Debt instrument, convertible, conversion price											$ 11.11
Long-term debt, gross											168
Debt instrument convertible if converted value											687
Debt instrument convertible if converted price per share										$ 45.52
Debt instrument convertible if converted value, non-cash											519
Debt instrument convertible, shares issued	11
Change in cost to settle convertible debt											15
Change in stock price to settle convertible debt per share											$ 1
Debt conversion, hedged converted instrument, cash and non-cash receivable											51
Debt instrument convertible, hedged, if converted price per share											$ 14.52
Debt instrument, unamortized discount			6								31
Adjustments to additional paid in capital, other												33
Convertible note hedge transactions, net		17
Convertible note hedge transaction shares	15.1
Debt instrument effective conversion price	$ 15.56
Percentage premium over price at issuance	75.00%
Closing price at issuance	$ 8.89
Debt conversion, market price per share																															$ 45.00				$ 40.00
Debt instrument, convertible, number of equity instruments																															9.9				9.2
Maximum revolving credit amount percentage															10.00%
Debt terms reference amount to maximum revolving credit															$ 150