Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 8) (Asset-backed securities, USD $)	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Asset-backed securities
Finance Receivables
Restricted assets of consolidated VIE	$ 0	$ 0	$ 136,000,000
Restricted liabilities of consolidated VIE	$ 0	$ 0	$ 73,000,000

The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's liabilities included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (bb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5710-111685

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant