Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details)

v2.4.1.9
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
country
location
category
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Nature of Operations      
Company owned and independent distributor locations 600cmi_CompanyOwnedAndIndependentDistributorLocationsNumber    
Dealer locations 7,200cmi_DealerLocationsNumber    
Countries and territories located in 190cmi_CountriesAndTerritoriesNumber    
Equity, royalty and interest income from investees      
Prior Period Reclassification Adjustment   $ 103us-gaap_PriorPeriodReclassificationAdjustment $ 92us-gaap_PriorPeriodReclassificationAdjustment
Revenue Recognition      
Number of sales incentives categories 3cmi_NumberOfSalesIncentivesCategories    
Foreign Currency Translation      
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax (6)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax (27)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax (14)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and divestitures:      
Accounts and notes receivable (89)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndNotesReceivable (148)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndNotesReceivable 87us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndNotesReceivable
Inventories (256)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories (46)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories (32)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Other current assets 1us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingAssets 212us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingAssets (60)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingAssets
Accounts Payable 244us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable 163us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable (256)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable
Accrued Expenses 168us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities (246)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities (514)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities
Cash payments for income taxes, net of refunds 659us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet 380us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet 691us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Cash payments for interest, net of capitalized interest 65us-gaap_InterestPaidNet 30us-gaap_InterestPaidNet 32us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
Activity in allowance for doubtful accounts      
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable $ 12us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable $ 14us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable  
Inventory Disclosure      
Percentage of total inventory values using LIFO 14.00%us-gaap_PercentageOfLIFOInventory 14.00%us-gaap_PercentageOfLIFOInventory  
Minimum      
Investments in Equity Investees      
Percentage of equity method investment ownership 20.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Maximum      
Investments in Equity Investees      
Percentage of equity method investment ownership 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember