Derivative financial instruments and risk management (Details 4) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Designated derivatives \| Fair Value Hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives	$ (12)	$ (27)	$ (41)
Gains (Losses) on Borrowings	11	26	23
Designated derivatives \| Fair Value Hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Financial Products \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives	(12)	(27)	(41)
Gains (Losses) on Borrowings	11	26	23
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Recognized in AOCI (Effective Portion)	(95)	(30)	(187)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from AOCI to Earnings	5	(139)	(6)
Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion)	0	0	0
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Recognized in AOCI (Effective Portion)	(118)	(33)	(118)
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from AOCI to Earnings	(14)	(128)	5
Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion)	0	0	0
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Financial Products
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Recognized in AOCI (Effective Portion)	15	0
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Financial Products \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from AOCI to Earnings	28	1
Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion)	0
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Recognized in AOCI (Effective Portion)	0	0	(63)
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation \| Interest expense
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from AOCI to Earnings	(6)	(6)	(5)
Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion)	0	0	0
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Financial Products
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Recognized in AOCI (Effective Portion)	8	3	(6)
Designated derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Financial Products \| Interest expense
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Amount of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from AOCI to Earnings	(3)	(6)	(6)
Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion)	0	0	0
Undesignated derivatives
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	(10)	(87)	(120)
Undesignated derivatives \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	(4)	(32)	(60)
Undesignated derivatives \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Financial Products \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	(24)	(34)	(47)
Undesignated derivatives \| Interest rate contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	2	2	2
Undesignated derivatives \| Commodity contracts \| Machinery, Energy & Transportation \| Other Income (Expense)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Gains (Losses) on Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	$ 16	$ (23)	$ (15)

Amount of gain (loss) from the increase (decrease) in fair value of derivative and nonderivative instruments designated as fair value hedging instruments recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

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Amount of the increase (decrease) in fair value of the hedged item in a fair value hedge recognized in the income statement.

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Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959

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No definition available.

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The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624177-113959

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The portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments representing (a) the amount of the hedge ineffectiveness and (b) the amount, if any, excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1),(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

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The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

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