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Commitments and Contingencies Litigation-Related Liability and Tax Administrative Matters (Details) | 1 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) jurisdiction action shares | Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) action case employee shareholder shares | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Oct. 12, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) state | Aug. 31, 2017 state
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum liability, guarantees | $ 6,000,000,000 |  | $ 6,000,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 5,100,000,000 |
Indirect Tax Matters [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss | 900,000,000 |  | $ 900,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Texas state (MDL) [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of additional bellwether trials | case |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |
Brazil [Member] | Foreign Tax Authority [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated potential recovery | $ 1,200,000,000 |  | $ 1,200,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Economic-loss cases [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of pending claims | action | 100 |  | 100 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Economic-loss cases [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of jurisdictions | jurisdiction | 27 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - July 2009 Sale Order [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states | state |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 16
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - July 2009 Sale Order [Member] | Granted Motion to Dismiss [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states | state |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - July 2009 Sale Order [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of states | state |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 | 9
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Lost Personal Time and Unjust Enrichment Claims [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of jurisdictions | jurisdiction | 47 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Lost Personal Time and Unjust Enrichment Claims [Member] | Granted Motion to Dismiss [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of jurisdictions | jurisdiction | 41 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Shareholder Class Action [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement amount |  |  |  | $ 300,000,000 |  |  |  |
Number of shareholders filing an appeal | shareholder |  |  | 1 |  |  |  |  |
Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Investigation by the Office [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Damages paid |  | $ 900,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Korea Wage Litigation - Hourly [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of plaintiffs | employee |  |  | 10,000 |  |  |  |  |
Number of employees in the case | employee |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss | $ 580,000,000 |  | $ 580,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Korea Wage Litigation - Salaried [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss | 160,000,000 |  | 160,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Korea Wage Litigation - Former Subcontract Workers [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss | 150,000,000 |  | 150,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Accrued liabilities and Other liabilities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated litigation liability | 1,400,000,000 |  | 1,400,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 930,000,000 |
Amended and Restated Master Sale and Purchase Agreement [Member] | Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Contingently Issuable Shares [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Allowed general unsecured claims amount | $ 35,000,000,000.0 |  | $ 35,000,000,000.0 |  |  |  |  |
Contingently issuable shares (in shares) | shares | 30,000,000 |  | 30,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Amount of allowed general unsecured claims |  |  |  |  |  | $ 31,900,000,000 |  |
Amended and Restated Master Sale and Purchase Agreement [Member] | Ignition Switch Recall Litigations - Contingently Issuable Shares [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Value of contingently issuable shares |  |  |  |  | $ 1,000,000,000 |  |  |

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