Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	$ 42,825	$ 38,843	$ 122,462	$ 112,735
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	3,543	3,096	10,145	8,049
Adjustments	110	(1,500)	(65)	(3,157)
Income before income taxes	3,488	1,506	9,699	4,660
Income tax expense	(776)	(165)	(2,206)	(1,271)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	61	18	99	32
Net income attributable to common stockholders	2,773	1,359	7,592	3,421
Total assets	217,576	188,620	217,576	188,620	$ 194,338
Depreciation and amortization	2,651	1,878	7,364	5,118
Asset impairment charges	35	103	193	790
Ignition Switch Recall Compensation Program [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charge related to ignition switch recall compensation program			0	225
Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Automotive interest income	44	40	140	130
Automotive interest expense	(148)	(112)	(422)	(330)
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	40,334	37,140	115,618	108,174
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	3,319	2,867	9,439	7,386
Adjustments	110	(1,500)	(65)	(3,157)
Total assets	137,383	131,035	137,383	131,035
Depreciation and amortization	1,394	1,221	4,051	3,622
Asset impairment charges	35	103	193	790
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMNA [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	31,078	27,794	87,736	78,951
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	3,486	3,293	9,429	8,255
Adjustments	0	7	0	36
Total assets	102,917	94,667	102,917	94,667
Depreciation and amortization	1,086	928	3,179	2,793
Asset impairment charges	2	81	43	350
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMNA [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| Lyft [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cost Method Investment	500		500
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GME [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	4,225	4,556	14,292	13,992
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	(142)	(231)	(11)	(515)
Adjustments	0	0	0	(354)
Total assets	13,904	10,477	13,904	10,477
Depreciation and amortization	116	124	334	284
Asset impairment charges	30	15	84	94
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GME [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| Russia exit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cost related to business withdrawal				354
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMIO [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	2,963	3,016	8,467	9,181
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	271	269	819	989
Adjustments	0	(7)	0	(394)
Total assets	20,441	21,298	20,441	21,298
Depreciation and amortization	114	110	327	331
Asset impairment charges	3	7	66	312
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMIO [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| THAILAND
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMIO [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| Russia exit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMSA [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	(121)	(217)	(309)	(575)
Adjustments	0	0	0	(720)
Total assets	7,656	7,704	7,656	7,704
Depreciation and amortization	75	56	202	205
Asset impairment charges	0	0	0	34
Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GMSA [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| VENEZUELA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Group [Member] \| Operating segments [Member] \| GM Financial Segment [Member] \| GM Financial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	2,499	1,707	6,866	4,576
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	229	231	720	670
Adjustments	0	0	0	0
Total assets	82,200	59,537	82,200	59,537
Depreciation and amortization	1,257	657	3,313	1,496
Asset impairment charges	0	0	0	0
Group [Member] \| Corporate [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	39	36	113	111
Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	(175)	(247)	(489)	(768)
Adjustments	110	(1,500)	(65)	(1,725)
Total assets	25,008	21,653	25,008	21,653
Depreciation and amortization	4	4	12	12
Asset impairment charges	0	0	0	0
Other Adjustments				35
Group [Member] \| Corporate [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| Ignition Switch Recall Compensation Program [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Group [Member] \| Corporate [Member] \| Automotive [Member] \| Ignition Switch Recall Litigations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net benefit for legal related matters	110
Charges for various settlements and legal related matters		1,500		1,500
Net charges for legal related matters			65
Group [Member] \| Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	(32,543)	(24,764)	(32,543)	(24,764)
Depreciation and amortization	(1)	(1)	(3)	(3)
Asset impairment charges	0	0	0	0
InterGroup Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
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Earnings (loss) before automotive interest and taxes-adjusted	(5)	(2)	(14)	(7)
Adjustments	0	0	0	0
Total assets	(2,007)	(1,952)	(2,007)	(1,952)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
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