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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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