Earnings or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investment and net of income or loss attributable to noncontrolling interest, but before adjustments that are not considered part of our core operations, automotive interest expense, corporate interest income, gain or loss on extinguishment of debt and income tax expense or benefit.

No definition available.

Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
Segment Reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	$ 35,480			$ 35,473			$ 84,967	$ 106,411
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	5,284			2,966			5,998	8,288
Adjustments	(76)			(267)			(657)	(181)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(27)			(40)			(57)	(67)
Income before income taxes	4,905			2,582			4,656	7,791
Income tax benefit (expense)	(887)			(271)			(1,132)	(932)
Net income	4,018	$ (780)	$ 286	2,311	$ 2,403	$ 2,145	3,524	6,859
Net income attributable to stockholders	4,045			2,351			3,581	6,926
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	8,046			8,496			8,046	8,496	$ 8,562
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	5,245			5,408			5,245	5,408	5,337
Total assets	239,671			231,529			239,671	231,529	$ 228,037
Depreciation and amortization	3,158			3,308			9,614	10,813
Impairment charges	4			1			121	19
Equity income (loss)	309			315			389	1,000
Brazil [Member] \| GM Brazil Indirect Tax Claim [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Recoveries of indirect taxes				123
Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Automotive interest income	51			129			195	333
Automotive interest expense	(327)			(206)			(823)	(582)
GMNA [Member] \| Transformation Activities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pre-tax restructuring costs				390				1,500
GMI [Member] \| Brazil [Member] \| GM Brazil Indirect Tax Claim [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Recoveries of indirect taxes				123				1,400
Operating Segments [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	32,066			31,817			74,576	95,503
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	4,289			2,507			4,968	7,398
Adjustments	(76)			(267)			(657)	(181)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	6,561			7,115			6,561	7,115
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,184			3,385			3,184	3,385
Total assets	128,241			119,485			128,241	119,485
Depreciation and amortization	1,333			1,469			4,017	5,218
Impairment charges	4			1			121	19
Equity income (loss)	263			276			276	874
Operating Segments [Member] \| GMNA [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	29,128			27,971			66,563	83,660
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	4,366			3,023			6,459	7,941
Adjustments	0			(359)			0	(1,478)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	187			85			187	85
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	2,372			2,488			2,372	2,488
Total assets	111,426			115,995			111,426	115,995
Depreciation and amortization	1,182			1,325			3,536	4,803
Impairment charges	0			0			20	15
Equity income (loss)	4			3			15	7
Operating Segments [Member] \| GMI [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	2,735			3,794			7,692	11,691
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	10			(65)			(811)	(82)
Adjustments	(76)			92			(657)	1,299
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	6,374			7,024			6,374	7,024
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	811			896			811	896
Total assets	22,365			25,562			22,365	25,562
Depreciation and amortization	146			133			461	379
Impairment charges	4			1			101	4
Equity income (loss)	259			279			261	886
Operating Segments [Member] \| Cruise [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	26			25			79	75
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(204)			(251)			(627)	(699)
Adjustments	0			0			0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0			0			0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	724			670			724	670
Total assets	3,815			4,406			3,815	4,406
Depreciation and amortization	11			7			30	16
Impairment charges	0			0			0	0
Equity income (loss)	0			0			0	0
Operating Segments [Member] \| GM Financial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	3,421			3,659			10,405	10,918
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	1,207			711			1,663	1,606
Adjustments	0			0			0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	1,485			1,381			1,485	1,381
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,337			1,353			1,337	1,353
Total assets	108,926			109,099			108,926	109,099
Depreciation and amortization	1,814			1,832			5,567	5,579
Impairment charges	0			0			0	0
Equity income (loss)	46			39			113	126
Corporate [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	203			52			321	152
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(87)			(451)			(680)	(461)
Adjustments	0			0			0	(2)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0			6			0	6
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1			1			1	1
Total assets	45,059			34,309			45,059	34,309
Depreciation and amortization	5			11			20	36
Impairment charges	0			0			0	0
Equity income (loss)	0			(6)			0	(19)
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales and revenue	(33)			(28)			(93)	(85)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(8)			(1)			(6)	(17)
Adjustments	0			0			0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0			0			0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0			0			0	0
Total assets	(1,311)			(1,461)			(1,311)	(1,461)
Depreciation and amortization	0			0			0	0
Impairment charges	0			0			0	0
Equity income (loss)	0			0			0	0
Eliminations [Member] \| Automotive [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0			0			0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0			0			0	0
Total assets	(50,609)			(56,381)			(50,609)	(56,381)
Depreciation and amortization	0			0			0	0
Impairment charges	0			0			0	0
Equity income (loss)	$ 0			$ 0			$ 0	$ 0