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Commitments and Contingencies Litigation-Related Liability and Tax Administrative Matters (Details) CAD in Millions, $ in Millions, ₩ in Billions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 10 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 28, 2010 | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Aug. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 CAD employee | Oct. 19, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 KRW (₩) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Nov. 27, 2015 | Nov. 26, 2015
Indirect Tax Matters [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Range of Possible Loss, Portion Not Accrued |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000 |  |  |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Indirect Tax-Related Escrow Deposit |  |  |  |  |  |  | 300 |  |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Indirect Tax-Related Escrow Deposit |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 700 |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
State Attorneys General, Number |  |  |  |  | 50 |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Economic-loss cases [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | U.S. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 100 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Economic-loss cases [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | CANADA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 17 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Civil Actions Brought by Governmental Entities [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Personal injury cases [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | U.S. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 286 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Personal injury cases [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | CANADA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 18 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Multidistrict Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Amount |  | $ 275 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of claimants settled |  |  | 1,400 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Multidistrict Litigation [Member] | NEW YORK |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Scheduled for Trial, Number |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Multidistrict Litigation [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | NEW YORK |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Dismissed, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Claims Settled, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Multidistrict Litigation [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | NEW YORK | Consolidated Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transferred Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  | 306 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Multidistrict Litigation State [Member] | TEXAS |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Dismissed, Number |  |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Settled, Number |  |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Shareholder Derivative Action [Member] | DELAWARE | Consolidated Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Dismissed, Number |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Shareholder Derivative Action [Member] | Eastern District of Michigan [Member] | Consolidated Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 | 3 |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Shareholder Derivative Action [Member] | Wayne County, Michigan [Member] | Consolidated Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Pending Claims, Number |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 | 2 |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Investigation by the Office [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Damages Paid, Value |  |  | $ 900 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Prosecution Deferral Period |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period after the expiration of the period of deferral |  |  | 30 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Shareholder Class Action [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation Settlement, Amount |  | $ 300 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shareholders opting out of settlement |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of shareholders filing an appeal |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
GM Canada Dealer Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of Plaintiffs | 200 |  |  |  | 181 |  |  |  |  |  |
Damages Sought, Value | CAD |  |  |  |  | CAD 750 |  |  |  |  |  |
Korea Wage Litigation - Hourly [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of Plaintiffs | employee |  |  |  |  | 10,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number Of Group Actions Filed |  |  |  |  | 8 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of Employees in the Case | employee |  |  |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |
Range of Possible Loss, Portion Not Accrued |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 551 | ₩ 604 |  |  |
Korea Wage Litigation - Salaried [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims Remanded, Number |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 1
Accrued liabilities and Other liabilities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated Litigation Liability |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,300 |  | $ 1,200 |  |

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