Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 contract	Sep. 30, 2011 contract
Customer
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	14	102
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	$ 2	$ 141
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	141
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	15	66
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	85	100
Customer | North America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts	14	53
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	11
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment	2	11
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	3	44
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	16	25
Customer | Europe
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts		6
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		7
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		7
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts		1
Post-TDR Recorded Investment		1
Customer | Latin America
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts		12
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		10
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		10
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	7	7
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	4	4
Customer | Global Power Finance
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Number of Contracts		31
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		113
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		113
TDRs which had been modified within twelve months of the default date
Number of Contracts	5	14
Post-TDR Recorded Investment	65	70
Additional investments not recorded	11	11
Remaining commitments	2	2
Other customers
Loan and finance lease receivables modified as TDRs
Pre-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		104
Post-TDR Outstanding Recorded Investment		$ 104
Number of customers		3