v2.4.0.6

Finance Receivables, Net Accretable Yield (Details) (GM Financial [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
GM Financial [Member]
Accretable Yield [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Nonaccrual Status	$ 350	$ 439
Accretable Yield	737	1,201
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Accretable Yield, Accretion	(136)	(202)
Certain Loans Acquired in Transfer Not Accounted for as Debt Securities, Accretable Yield, Reclassifications from Nonaccretable Difference	167	0
Accretable Yield	$ 768	$ 999

X

- Definition

The excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in the loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gm_AccretableYield
Namespace Prefix:	gm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	gm_AccretableYieldLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	gm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The current period recognition due to accretion of the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in the loan. This relates to loans not accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that were acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

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

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 03-3

-Paragraph 16

-Subparagraph a(2)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6891207&loc=d3e13503-111538



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The change in the estimate of cash flows expected to be collected, after acquisition of loans, which results in an increase in accretable yield (for example, if actual cash flows are significantly greater than previously expected). This relates to loans not accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that was acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

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

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 03-3

-Paragraph 16

-Subparagraph a(2)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6891207&loc=d3e13503-111538



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Recorded investment in financing receivables that are on nonaccrual status as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5111-111524

-Subparagraph (d)

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentNonaccrualStatus
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant