Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Customer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	18	49	53	88
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	$ 2	$ 75	$ 43	$ 139
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	75	43	139
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	16	8	41	48
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	3	4	23	15
Customer | North America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	18	15	41	39
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	4	4	9
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	4	4	9
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	14	7	25	41
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	3	2	9
Customer | Europe
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	5	7	6
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	6	7	7
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	6	7	7
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	1	0	1
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	1	0	1
Customer | Latin America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	4	0	12
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	5	0	10
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	5	0	10
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	0	0	0
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	0	0	0
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	25	5	31
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	60	32	113
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	0	60	32	113
Additional funds loaned not recorded as TDRs	6		15
Remaining Commitments	7		7
Number of customers that comprise the majority of the pre-TDR and post-TDR recorded investment (in customers)		2	3	4
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment for Customers Comprising Majority of Total		55		105
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment for Customers Comprising Majority of Total		55		105
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	2	0	16	6
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	2	0	21	5
Number of customers with a payment default that had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date, which comprise the majority of the post-TDR recorded investment (in customers)			2
Post-TDR Recorded Investment Which Had a Payment Default for Customers Comprising Majority of Total			$ 19
Dealer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	0	0	0