Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Environmental activities expenditures	$ 1.2us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationExpense	$ 2.3us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationExpense	$ 1.7us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationExpense
Standby letters of credit	19.0pcar_StandbyLettersOfCredit
Outstanding commitments to fund new loan and lease transactions	769.6us-gaap_OtherCommitment
Commitments expiration term	90 days
Commitments due in 2015	262.8
Commitments due in 2016	76.1
Commitments due in 2017	70.6
Commitments due in 2018	5.2
Commitments due in 2019

Commitment expiration period.

No definition available.

Name:	pcar_CommitmentsExpirationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	pcar_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Standby letters of credit

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pcar_StandbyLettersOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	pcar_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligationDueInFifthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligationDueInFourthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligationDueInNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligationDueInSecondYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligationDueInThirdYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period for known or estimated future costs arising from requirements to perform environmental remediation activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13296-110859

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum amount of other commitment not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Excludes commitments explicitly modeled in the taxonomy, including but not limited to, long-term and short-term purchase commitments, recorded and unrecorded purchase obligations, supply commitments, registration payment arrangements, leases, debt, product warranties, guarantees, environmental remediation obligations, and pensions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherCommitment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant