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Segment Reporting Summary of key financial information by segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue | $ 37,715 | $ 33,623 | $ 36,984 | $ 37,266 | $ 39,896 | $ 38,889 | $ 37,383 | $ 33,016 | $ 145,588 | $ 149,184 | $ 135,725
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12,844 | 12,848 | 11,449
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (654) | (300) | (3,199)
Automotive interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,141) | (2,535) | (1,883)
Gain on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 449
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18) | (159) | (72)
Income before income taxes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,863 | 12,008 | 8,371
Income tax benefit (expense) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (11,533) | (2,739) | 1,219
Income from continuing operations | (4,903) | 114 | 2,433 | 2,686 | 1,895 | 2,707 | 2,744 | 1,923 | 330 | 9,269 | 9,590
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 3) | (277) | (3,096) | (770) | (69) | (120) | 5 | 106 | 8 | (4,212) | (1) | 25
Net income (loss) attributable to stockholders | (5,151) | $ (2,981) | $ 1,660 | $ 2,608 | 1,835 | $ 2,773 | $ 2,866 | $ 1,953 | (3,864) | 9,427 | 9,687
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 9,073 |  |  |  | 8,996 |  |  |  | 9,073 | 8,996 | 9,195
Total Assets | 212,482 |  |  |  | 221,690 |  |  |  | 212,482 | 221,690 | 194,338
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8,453 | 8,384 | 6,813
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,967 | 9,686 | 6,753
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 294 | 133 | 734
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,132 | 2,282 | 2,193
GMI [Member] | Separation Programs In South Africa And India [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Restructuring charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 460 |  |
GMI [Member] | Separation Programs In Venezuela [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deconsolidation loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80 |  |
Automotive [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Automotive interest income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 266 | 182 | 167
Automotive interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (575) | (563) | (423)
Automotive [Member] | Intersegment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Total Assets | (42,750) |  |  |  | (35,139) |  |  |  | (42,750) | (35,139) | (21,916)
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (2) | (5)
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1) | (5) | (3)
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 133,607 | 140,205 | 129,864
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,655 | 12,082 | 10,771
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (654) | (300) | (3,199)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 7,886 |  |  |  | 8,052 |  |  |  | 7,886 | 8,052 | 8,209
Total Assets | 116,075 |  |  |  | 135,055 |  |  |  | 116,075 | 135,055 | 129,421
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8,359 | 8,291 | 6,740
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,394 | 5,008 | 4,475
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 294 | 133 | 734
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,959 | 2,130 | 2,077
Other adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 41
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GMNA [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 111,345 | 119,113 | 106,744
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,889 | 12,388 | 11,354
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 47
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 68 |  |  |  | 74 |  |  |  | 68 | 74 | 94
Total Assets | 99,846 |  |  |  | 103,879 |  |  |  | 99,846 | 103,879 | 92,651
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7,704 | 7,338 | 5,697
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,654 | 4,292 | 3,755
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 78 | 65 | 370
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 | 159 | 20
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GMI [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 21,920 | 20,943 | 22,970
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,300 | 767 | 665
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (540) | 0 | (1,461)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 7,818 |  |  |  | 7,978 |  |  |  | 7,818 | 7,978 | 8,115
Total Assets | 27,712 |  |  |  | 27,273 |  |  |  | 27,712 | 27,273 | 27,351
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 607 | 943 | 982
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 708 | 702 | 707
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 211 | 68 | 364
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,951 | 1,971 | 2,057
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GMI [Member] | Russia exit [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cost related to business withdrawal |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 438
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GMI [Member] | Thailand [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 297
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GMI [Member] | Venezuela [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Charge for foreign currency devaluation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 720
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Corporate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 342 | 149 | 150
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,534) | (1,073) | (1,248)
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (114) | (300) | (1,785)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Total Assets | 31,267 |  |  |  | 39,042 |  |  |  | 31,267 | 39,042 | 31,335
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 48 | 12 | 66
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 33 | 19 | 16
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 | 0 | 0
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Corporate [Member] | Ignition Switch Recall Litigations [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Charges for various legal matters related to the Ignition Switch Recall |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 114 | 300 |
Charge related to ignition switch recall compensation program |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 195
Group [Member] | Automotive [Member] | Corporate [Member] | Ignition Switch Recall Compensation Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Charges for various legal matters related to the Ignition Switch Recall |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,600
Group [Member] | GM Financial [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | GM Financial Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12,151 | 8,983 | 5,867
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,196 | 763 | 679
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 1,187 |  |  |  | 944 |  |  |  | 1,187 | 944 | 986
Total Assets | 97,251 |  |  |  | 87,947 |  |  |  | 97,251 | 87,947 | 66,081
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 94 | 93 | 73
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,573 | 4,678 | 2,278
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 173 | 152 | 116
InterGroup Elimination [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total net sales and revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (170) | (4) | (6)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | 3 | (1)
Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates (Note 8) | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Total Assets | $ (844) |  |  |  | $ (1,312) |  |  |  | (844) | (1,312) | (1,164)
Expenditures for property |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Impairment charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 0
Equity income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0

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