Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 125		$ 106		$ 68	$ 36
Accounts receivable, net	807		793
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	91		68
Prepaid expenses and other assets	129		111
Deferred taxes	262		265
Total current assets	1,414		1,343
Rental equipment, net	5,599		4,966
Property and equipment, net	420		428
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill, net	2,961		2,970
Other intangible assets, net	1,064		1,200
Other long-term assets	105		119
Total assets	11,563		11,026
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	630	[1]	630	[1]
Accounts payable	366		286
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	422		435
Total current liabilities	1,418		1,351
Long-term debt	6,952		6,679
Subordinated convertible debentures	0		55
Deferred taxes	1,395		1,302
Other long-term liabilities	69		65
Total liabilities	9,834		9,452
Temporary equity (note 6)	22		31
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,707		1,543
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	11,563		11,026
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany receivable (payable)	215		168
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	215		168
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	47		41
Investments in subsidiaries	1,622		1,575
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	3		4
Total assets	1,887		1,788
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	134		137
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	2		1
Total current liabilities	136		138
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures			55
Deferred taxes	22		21
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	158		214
Temporary equity (note 6)	22		31
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,707		1,543
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,887		1,788
URNA [Member]
Condensed Financial Information Other Details [Abstract]
Ownership percentage in subsidiaries	100.00%
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	16		20		16	6
Accounts receivable, net	27		43
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(164)		(108)
Inventory	81		60
Prepaid expenses and other assets	110		87
Deferred taxes	260		263
Total current assets	330		365
Rental equipment, net	4,956		4,357
Property and equipment, net	320		333
Investments in subsidiaries	1,107		1,029
Goodwill, net	2,707		2,710
Other intangible assets, net	971		1,094
Other long-term assets	102		115
Total assets	10,493		10,003
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	34		40
Accounts payable	319		243
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	361		361
Total current liabilities	714		644
Long-term debt	6,799		6,522
Subordinated convertible debentures			0
Deferred taxes	1,293		1,199
Other long-term liabilities	65		63
Total liabilities	8,871		8,428
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,622		1,575
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	10,493		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	2		10
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	(40)		(39)
Rental equipment, net	0		0
Property and equipment, net	14		16
Investments in subsidiaries	975		932
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	949		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	29		33
Total current liabilities	29		33
Long-term debt	145		150
Subordinated convertible debentures			0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	174		183
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	775		726
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	949		909
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries Foreign [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	109		86		52	30
Accounts receivable, net	136		146
Intercompany receivable (payable)	(159)		(163)
Inventory	10		8
Prepaid expenses and other assets	17		14
Deferred taxes	2		2
Total current assets	115		93
Rental equipment, net	643		609
Property and equipment, net	39		38
Investments in subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill, net	254		260
Other intangible assets, net	93		106
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	1,144		1,106
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	47		43
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	30		40
Total current liabilities	77		83
Long-term debt	8		7
Subordinated convertible debentures			0
Deferred taxes	80		82
Other long-term liabilities	4		2
Total liabilities	169		174
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	975		932
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	1,144		1,106
Non Guarantor Subsidiaries SPV [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	644		604
Intercompany receivable (payable)	0		0
Inventory	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0		0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Total current assets	644		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	644		604
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	462		453
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	462		453
Long-term debt	0		0
Subordinated convertible debentures			0
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	462		453
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	182		151
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	644		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	(3,704)		(3,536)
Goodwill, net	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other long-term assets	0		0
Total assets	(3,554)		(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
Deferred taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	0		0
Temporary equity (note 6)	0		0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(3,554)		(3,384)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$ (3,554)		$ (3,384)

[1] As of September 30, 2013, our short-term debt primarily reflects $462 of borrowings under our accounts receivable securitization facility and $134 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 September 30, 2013.