Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 2) - Finance Receivables - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	$ 930	$ 1,038
Current	21,091	21,388
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	22,021	22,426
91+ Still Accruing	40	24
31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	187	184
61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	101	67
91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	642	787
Customer
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	18,287	19,010
Customer | North America
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	137	167
Current	7,773	7,825
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	7,910	7,992
91+ Still Accruing	15	14
Customer | North America | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	73	65
Customer | North America | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	16	18
Customer | North America | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	48	84
Customer | EAME
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	179	181
Current	2,853	2,850
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,032	3,031
91+ Still Accruing	4	5
Customer | EAME | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	33	19
Customer | EAME | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	10	9
Customer | EAME | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	136	153
Customer | Asia Pacific
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	81	41
Current	2,437	2,409
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,518	2,450
91+ Still Accruing	6	5
Customer | Asia Pacific | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	36	24
Customer | Asia Pacific | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	21	9
Customer | Asia Pacific | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	24	8
Customer | Mining
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	44	38
Current	1,810	1,642
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1,854	1,680
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Customer | Mining | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	1	28
Customer | Mining | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	24	1
Customer | Mining | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	19	9
Customer | Latin America
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	165	138
Current	1,110	1,421
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1,275	1,559
91+ Still Accruing	1	0
Customer | Latin America | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	43	38
Customer | Latin America | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	29	29
Customer | Latin America | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	93	71
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	243	395
Current	1,455	1,903
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1,698	2,298
91+ Still Accruing	14	0
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	1	10
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	1	1
Customer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	241	384
Dealer
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	3,734	3,416
Dealer | North America
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Current	2,109	1,895
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	2,109	1,895
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | North America | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | North America | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | North America | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | EAME
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Current	346	333
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	346	333
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | EAME | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | EAME | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | EAME | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Asia Pacific
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Current	434	466
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	434	466
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | Asia Pacific | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Asia Pacific | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Asia Pacific | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Mining
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Current	4	4
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	4	4
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | Mining | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Mining | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Mining | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Latin America
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	81	78
Current	759	638
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	840	716
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | Latin America | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Latin America | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Latin America | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	81	78
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Current	1	2
Ending balance-recorded investment in finance receivables	1	2
91+ Still Accruing	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 31 to 60 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 61 to 90 Days Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	0	0
Dealer | Caterpillar Power Finance | 91 Days of More Past Due
Aging related to loans and finance leases
Financing Receivable, Past Due	$ 0	$ 0