Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Dealer
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment, Total	$ 0		$ 0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	0	$ 0
Finance Receivables \| Customer
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	437		408
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	436		407
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	169		193
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	167		191
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	58		65
Recorded Investment, Total	606		601
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	603		598
Related Allowance, Total	58		65
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	417	330
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	4	3
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	180	283
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	2	2
Average Recorded Investment, Total	597	613
Interest Income Recognized, Total	6	5
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| North America
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	20		12
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	20		12
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	15		14
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	13		13
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	4		4
Recorded Investment, Total	35		26
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	33		25
Related Allowance, Total	4		4
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	14	14
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	14	6
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	28	20
Interest Income Recognized, Total	0	0
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| Europe
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	39		41
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	39		41
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	11		11
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	11		10
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	6		5
Recorded Investment, Total	50		52
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	50		51
Related Allowance, Total	6		5
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	40	44
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	12	14
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	52	58
Interest Income Recognized, Total	0	0
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| Asia Pacific
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	4		1
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	4		1
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	35		34
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	35		34
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	5		4
Recorded Investment, Total	39		35
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	39		35
Related Allowance, Total	5		4
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	2	3
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	33	26
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	35	29
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	0
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| Mining
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	79		84
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	79		84
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	11		11
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	11		11
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	4		3
Recorded Investment, Total	90		95
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	90		95
Related Allowance, Total	4		3
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	81	102
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	1	2
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	11	63
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	92	165
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	3
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| Latin America
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	27		28
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	27		28
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	53		53
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	53		53
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	22		21
Recorded Investment, Total	80		81
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	80		81
Related Allowance, Total	22		21
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	27	32
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	51	46
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	1	1
Average Recorded Investment, Total	78	78
Interest Income Recognized, Total	1	1
Finance Receivables \| Customer \| Caterpillar Power Finance
Impaired finance receivables
Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	268		242
Unpaid Principal Balance With No Allowance Recorded	267		241
Related Allowance With No Allowance Recorded	0		0
Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	44		70
Unpaid Principal Balance With An Allowance Recorded	44		70
Related Allowance With An Allowance Recorded	17		28
Recorded Investment, Total	312		312
Unpaid Principal Balance, Total	311		311
Related Allowance, Total	17		$ 28
Average Recorded Investment With No Allowance Recorded	253	135
Interest Income Recognized With No Allowance Recorded	3	1
Average Recorded Investment With An Allowance Recorded	59	128
Interest Income Recognized With An Allowance Recorded	0	0
Average Recorded Investment, Total	312	263
Interest Income Recognized, Total	$ 3	$ 1

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
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-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 310
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-Section 50
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=d3e5258-111524

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