Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Contracts	Sep. 30, 2011 Contracts	Sep. 30, 2012 Contracts	Sep. 30, 2011 Contracts
Customer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	58	14	111	102
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	$ 159	$ 2	$ 202	$ 141
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	159	2	202	141
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	10	15	57	66
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	2	85	25	100
Customer | North America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	17	14	58	53
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	4	2	8	11
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	4	2	8	11
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	8	3	39	44
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	16	3	25
Customer | Europe
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	14	0	21	6
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	8	7
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	1	0	8	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
Post-TDR Recorded Investment			0	1
Customer | Asia Pacific
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	12	0	12	0
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	3	0	3	0
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	3	0	3	0
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	2	0	2	0
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	1	0	1	0
Customer | Latin America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)			0	12
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment			0	10
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment			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	7	0	7
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	0	4	0	4
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	15	0	20	31
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	151	0	183	113
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	151	0	183	113
Additional funds loaned not recorded as TDRs	4		22
Remaining Commitments	3		3
Number of customers that comprise the majority of the pre-TDR and post-TDR recorded investment (in customers)		4	7	3
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment for Customers Comprising Majority of Total	148		180	104
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment for Customers Comprising Majority of Total	148	0	180	104
TDRs with a payment default which had been modified within twelve months prior to the default date
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	5	16	14
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	$ 0	$ 65	$ 21	$ 70
Dealer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts (in contracts)	0	0	0	0