Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,812	$ 5,960	$ 11,418	$ 11,513
Earnings before income taxes	817	831	1,460	1,504
Eliminations/Interest	(47)	(57)	(101)	(111)
Income (loss) from equity method investments	(34)
Increase (decrease) in stock compensation expense	(21)
Increase (decrease) in inventory costs (purchase accounting)			22
Increase (decrease) in pretax charitable contributions			17
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	6,012	6,159	11,757	11,856
Earnings before income taxes	951	973	1,776	1,773
Operating Segments [Member] | Process Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,108	2,020	4,149	3,916
Earnings before income taxes	383	403	756	736
Operating Segments [Member] | Industrial Automation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,232	1,213	2,381	2,350
Earnings before income taxes	187	186	349	350
Operating Segments [Member] | Network Power [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,171	1,481	2,474	2,940
Earnings before income taxes	96	111	179	216
Operating Segments [Member] | Climate Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,041	988	1,827	1,740
Earnings before income taxes	186	175	293	276
Operating Segments [Member] | Commercial & Residential Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	460	457	926	910
Earnings before income taxes	99	98	199	195
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Differences in accounting methods	60	54	117	104
Corporate and other	(147)	(139)	(332)	(262)
Eliminations/Interest	(47)	(57)	(101)	(111)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(200)	(199)	(339)	(343)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Industrial Automation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 182	$ 177	$ 298	$ 298