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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2017
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | $ 339 | $ 463
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | (131) | (116)
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 31 | (93)
Investments in affiliates | 0 | 0
Loans to affiliates | 0 | 0
Repayments of loans from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other - net | (37) | (20)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (137) | (229)
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 179 | 194
Payments on borrowings | (33) | (254)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | 0 | 0
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | 0 | 0
Capital contributions from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other intercompany financing activities | 0 | 0
Cash dividends paid | (284) | (263)
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | 0
Exercise of employee stock options | 19 | 38
Repurchase of shares | (300) | (255)
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | (23) | (20)
Other - net | (1) | (3)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (443) | (563)
Effect of currency on cash | (3) | 8
Total increase (decrease) in cash | (244) | (321)
Cash at the beginning of the period | 561 | 543
Cash at the end of the period | 317 | 222
Guarantors [Member] |  |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 82 | 733
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | (24) | (26)
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 0 | 0
Investments in affiliates | 0 | 0
Loans to affiliates | (486) | (87)
Repayments of loans from affiliates | 886 | 55
Other - net | (4) | 2
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 372 | (56)
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 0 | 0
Payments on borrowings | (33) | 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | 28 | 662
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | (16) | (17)
Capital contributions from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other intercompany financing activities | (441) | (519)
Cash dividends paid | 0 | 0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | 800
Exercise of employee stock options | 0 | 0
Repurchase of shares | 0 | 0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | (4) | (4)
Other - net | 0 | (1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (466) | (679)
Effect of currency on cash | 0 | 0
Total increase (decrease) in cash | (12) | (2)
Cash at the beginning of the period | 18 | 12
Cash at the end of the period | 6 | 10
Other subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 321 | 196
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | (84) | (70)
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 31 | (93)
Investments in affiliates | 0 | 0
Loans to affiliates | (1,177) | (2,348)
Repayments of loans from affiliates | 1,299 | 2,195
Other - net | (18) | (11)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 51 | (327)
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 89 | 0
Payments on borrowings | 0 | (4)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | 0 | 4
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | (754) | (17)
Capital contributions from affiliates | 36 | 1
Other intercompany financing activities | 204 | 582
Cash dividends paid | 0 | 0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | 707
Exercise of employee stock options | 0 | 0
Repurchase of shares | 0 | 0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | (3) | (3)
Other - net | 0 | (2)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (428) | (146)
Effect of currency on cash | (3) | 8
Total increase (decrease) in cash | (59) | (269)
Cash at the beginning of the period | 360 | 438
Cash at the end of the period | 301 | 169
Eaton Corporation plc [Member] |  |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 2 | 611
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | 0 | 0
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 0 | 0
Investments in affiliates | 0 | 0
Loans to affiliates | 0 | 0
Repayments of loans from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other - net | 0 | 0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 0 | 0
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 0 | 0
Payments on borrowings | 0 | 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | 585 | 668
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | (22) | (800)
Capital contributions from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other intercompany financing activities | 0 | 0
Cash dividends paid | (284) | (263)
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | 0
Exercise of employee stock options | 19 | 38
Repurchase of shares | (300) | (255)
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | 0 | 0
Other - net | 0 | 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (2) | (612)
Effect of currency on cash | 0 | 0
Total increase (decrease) in cash | 0 | (1)
Cash at the beginning of the period | 0 | 1
Cash at the end of the period | 0 | 0
Eaton Corporation [Member] |  |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | (66) | 430
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | (23) | (20)
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 0 | 0
Investments in affiliates | (36) | (1)
Loans to affiliates | 0 | (6)
Repayments of loans from affiliates | 16 | 19
Other - net | (15) | (11)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (58) | (19)
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 90 | 194
Payments on borrowings | 0 | (250)
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | 1,050 | 1,107
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | (1,409) | (1,435)
Capital contributions from affiliates | 0 | 0
Other intercompany financing activities | 237 | (63)
Cash dividends paid | 0 | 0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | 0
Exercise of employee stock options | 0 | 0
Repurchase of shares | 0 | 0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | (16) | (13)
Other - net | (1) | 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (49) | (460)
Effect of currency on cash | 0 | 0
Total increase (decrease) in cash | (173) | (49)
Cash at the beginning of the period | 183 | 92
Cash at the end of the period | 10 | 43
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] |  |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 0 | (1,507)
Investing activities |  |
Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment | 0 | 0
Sales (purchases) of short-term investments - net | 0 | 0
Investments in affiliates | 36 | 1
Loans to affiliates | 1,663 | 2,441
Repayments of loans from affiliates | (2,201) | (2,269)
Other - net | 0 | 0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (502) | 173
Financing activities |  |
Proceeds from borrowings | 0 | 0
Payments on borrowings | 0 | 0
Proceeds from borrowings from affiliates | (1,663) | (2,441)
Payments on borrowings from affiliates | 2,201 | 2,269
Capital contributions from affiliates | (36) | (1)
Other intercompany financing activities | 0 | 0
Cash dividends paid | 0 | 0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates |  | (1,507)
Exercise of employee stock options | 0 | 0
Repurchase of shares | 0 | 0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation | 0 | 0
Other - net | 0 | 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 502 | 1,334
Effect of currency on cash | 0 | 0
Total increase (decrease) in cash | 0 | 0
Cash at the beginning of the period | 0 | 0
Cash at the end of the period | $ 0 | $ 0

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