Debt (Schedule of long-term debt instruments) (Details) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 03, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument
Total debt			$ 7,349,000,000	$ 7,790,000,000
Less short-term portion			(577,000,000)	(597,000,000)
Total long-term debt			6,772,000,000	7,193,000,000
Merger with NES Rentals Holdings II, Inc.
Debt Instrument
Face amount			$ 500,000,000
Merger with NES Rentals Holdings II, Inc. | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument
Aggregate principal amount outstanding	$ 8,000,000,000
Merger consideration	$ 965,000,000
Accounts Receivable Securitization Facility expiring 2017
Debt Instrument
Credit facility interest rate at period end			1.70%
$2.5 billion ABL Facility expiring 2021
Debt Instrument
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 2,500,000,000.0	$ 2,500,000,000.0
7 5/8 percent Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			7.625%	7.625%
6 1/8 percent Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			6.125%	6.125%
4 5/8 percent Senior Secured Notes
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			4.625%	4.625%
5 3/4 percent Senior Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			5.75%	5.75%
5 1/2 percent Senior Notes due 2025
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			5.50%	5.50%
5 7/8 percent Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			5.875%	5.875%
5 1/2 percent Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate			5.50%	5.50%
Capital leases
Debt Instrument
Total debt			$ 63,000,000	$ 71,000,000
Credit facility | $2.5 billion ABL Facility expiring 2021
Debt Instrument
Total debt			720,000,000	1,645,000,000
Current borrowing capacity under credit facility			$ 1,700,000,000
Credit facility interest rate at period end			2.50%
Letters of credit outstanding			$ 36,000,000
Average outstanding amount			$ 1,000,000,000
Weighted average interest rate, long-term			2.30%
ABL Facility maximum month-end outstanding amount			$ 1,500,000,000
Senior notes | 7 5/8 percent Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
Total debt			470,000,000	469,000,000
Senior notes | 6 1/8 percent Senior Notes
Debt Instrument
Total debt			936,000,000	936,000,000
Senior notes | 5 3/4 percent Senior Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument
Total debt			840,000,000	839,000,000
Senior notes | 5 1/2 percent Senior Notes due 2025
Debt Instrument
Total debt			792,000,000	792,000,000
Senior notes | 5 7/8 percent Senior Notes due 2026
Debt Instrument
Total debt			$ 998,000,000	740,000,000
Senior notes | 5 7/8 percent Senior Notes due 2026 | URNA
Debt Instrument
Credit facility interest rate at period end			5.70%
Face amount		$ 250,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		258,000,000
Aggregate principal amount outstanding			$ 1,000,000,000
Unamortized issuance premium			11,000,000
Senior notes | 5 1/2 percent Senior Notes due 2027
Debt Instrument
Total debt			$ 989,000,000	739,000,000
Senior notes | 5 1/2 percent Senior Notes due 2027 | URNA
Debt Instrument
Credit facility interest rate at period end			5.50%
Face amount		250,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		$ 250,000,000
Aggregate principal amount outstanding			$ 1,000,000,000
Unamortized issuance premium			3,000,000
Senior secured notes | 4 5/8 percent Senior Secured Notes
Debt Instrument
Total debt			991,000,000	991,000,000
Accounts receivable facility | Accounts Receivable Securitization Facility expiring 2017
Debt Instrument
Total debt			550,000,000	$ 568,000,000
Current borrowing capacity under credit facility			18,000,000
Average outstanding amount under facility			$ 518,000,000
Weighted average interest rate, short-term			1.60%
A/R Securitization maximum month-end outstanding amount			$ 551,000,000
Collateral amount			$ 569,000,000