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Restructuring And Other Initiatives (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 383	$ 1,122	$ 227	$ 268	$ 383
Additions, interest accretion and other			1,637	330	412
Payments			(600)	(315)	(490)
Revisions to estimates and effect of foreign currency			(142)	(56)	(37)
Balance at end of period			1,122	227	268
GMNA [Member] | Cash Severance Incentive Programs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges	$ 240				$ 240
GMI [Member] | Separation Programs In South Africa And India [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges				460
GMI [Member] | Separation Programs in Australia, Korea, South Africa, India and Chevrolet Europe [Member] [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring cost incurred to date				892
Unallocation of Products to Certain Manufacturing Facilities And Other Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMNA [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges			1,200
Severance costs and other costs			941
Non-cash accelerated depreciation			301
Facility closing [Member] | GMI [Member] | Gunsan Korea Plant [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges			1,000
Severance Costs			495
Non-cash Asset Impairments and Other Charges [Member] | GMI [Member] | Gunsan Korea Plant [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges			537
Employee Severance and Statutory Pension Payments [Member] | GMI [Member] | Gunsan Korea Plant [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Payments			$ (775)
Asset Impairments, Sales Incentives, Inventory Provisions and Other Restructuring Costs [Member] | GMI [Member] | Separation Programs In South Africa And India [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges				297
Dealer Restructuring, Employee Severance and Contract Termination Costs [Member] | GMI [Member] | Separation Programs In South Africa And India [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Restructuring charges and other charges				$ 163
Forecast [Member] | Unallocation of Products to Certain Manufacturing Facilities And Other Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMNA [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected amount of cash flows		1,500
Forecast [Member] | Unallocation of Products to Certain Manufacturing Facilities And Other Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMNA [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected costs		1,500
Forecast [Member] | Unallocation of Products to Certain Manufacturing Facilities And Other Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMNA [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected costs		2,000
Forecast [Member] | Closure of Facility and Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMI [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected amount of cash flows		300
Forecast [Member] | Closure of Facility and Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMI [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected costs		200
Forecast [Member] | Closure of Facility and Employee Separation Programs [Member] | GMI [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expected costs		$ 300

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