Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 147		$ 106		$ 26	$ 36
Accounts receivable, net	725		793
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	103		68
Prepaid expenses and other assets	81		111
Deferred taxes	255		265
Total current assets	1,311		1,343
Rental equipment, net	4,963		4,966
Property and equipment, net	420		428
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill, net	2,963		2,970
Other intangible assets, net	1,151		1,200
Other long-term assets	113		119
Total assets	10,921		11,026
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	567	[1]	630	[1]
Accounts payable	406		286
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	396		435
Total current liabilities	1,369		1,351
Long-term debt	6,580		6,679
Subordinated convertible debentures	17		55
Deferred taxes	1,293		1,302
Other long-term liabilities	67		65
Total liabilities	9,326		9,452
Temporary equity (note 6)	29		31
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,566		1,543
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	10,921		11,026
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	200		168
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	200		168
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	45		41
Investments in subsidiaries	1,528		1,575
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	2		4
Total assets	1,775		1,788
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	139		137
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	3		1
Total current liabilities	142		138
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	17		55
Deferred taxes	21		21
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	180		214
Temporary equity (note 6)	29		31
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,566		1,543
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,775		1,788
URNA [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	24		20		3	6
Accounts receivable, net	34		43
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(152)		(108)
Inventory	94		60
Prepaid expenses and other assets	58		87
Deferred taxes	253		263
Total current assets	311		365
Rental equipment, net	4,376		4,357
Property and equipment, net	322		333
Investments in subsidiaries	1,055		1,029
Goodwill, net	2,708		2,710
Other intangible assets, net	1,052		1,094
Other long-term assets	111		115
Total assets	9,935		10,003
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	38		40
Accounts payable	358		243
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	332		361
Total current liabilities	728		644
Long-term debt	6,426		6,522
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	1,189		1,199
Other long-term liabilities	64		63
Total liabilities	8,407		8,428
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,528		1,575
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	9,935		10,003
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership Percentage In Subsidiaries	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(42)		(49)
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		10
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	(42)		(39)
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	16		16
Investments in subsidiaries	934		932
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	908		909
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	30		33
Total current liabilities	30		33
Long-term debt	147		150
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	177		183
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	731		726
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	908		909
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries Foreign [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	123		86		23	30
Accounts receivable, net	127		146
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(156)		(163)
Inventory	9		8
Prepaid expenses and other assets	23		14
Deferred taxes	2		2
Total current assets	128		93
Rental equipment, net	587		609
Property and equipment, net	37		38
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill, net	255		260
Other intangible assets, net	99		106
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	1,106		1,106
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	48		43
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	31		40
Total current liabilities	79		83
Long-term debt	7		7
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	83		82
Other long-term liabilities	3		2
Total liabilities	172		174
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	934		932
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,106		1,106
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries SPV [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	564		604
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	564		604
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	564		604
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	390		453
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	390		453
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	390		453
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	174		151
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	564		604
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	150		152
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	150		152
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,517)		(3,536)
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	(3,367)		(3,384)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	0		0
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(3,367)		(3,384)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (3,367)		$ (3,384)

[1] As of March 31, 2013, our short-term debt primarily reflects $390 of borrowings under our accounts receivable securitization facility and $139 of 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes. The 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes mature in 2015, but are reflected as short-term debt because they are redeemable at March 31, 2013.