Segment Reporting - Summary of key financial information by segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	$ 127,004	$ 122,485	$ 137,237
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	14,295	9,710	8,393
Adjustments	(701)	(652)	(539)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(74)	(106)	(65)
Income before income taxes	12,716	8,095	7,436
Income tax (expense)	(2,771)	(1,774)	(769)
Net income	9,945	6,321	6,667
Net income attributable to stockholders	10,019	6,427	6,732
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	9,677	8,406	8,562
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	5,087	5,230	5,337
Total Assets	244,718	235,194	228,037
Expenditures for property	7,509	5,300	7,592
Depreciation and amortization	12,047	12,676	14,060
Impairment charges	4	139	58
Equity income	1,301	674	1,268
GMNA \| Transformation Activities
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Restructuring charges and other charges			1,600
GMI \| Transformation Activities
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Restructuring charges and other charges			115
Operating Segments \| Cruise
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	106	103	100
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(1,196)	(887)	(1,004)
Adjustments	0	0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	736	735	634
Total Assets	4,489	3,625	4,230
Expenditures for property	89	15	60
Depreciation and amortization	52	43	21
Impairment charges	4	20	36
Equity income	0	0	0
Operating Segments \| GM Financial
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	13,419	13,831	14,554
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	5,036	2,702	2,104
Adjustments	0	0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	1,717	1,581	1,455
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,339	1,343	1,355
Total Assets	113,207	113,410	108,881
Expenditures for property	26	34	47
Depreciation and amortization	6,134	7,245	7,350
Impairment charges	0	0	0
Equity income	201	147	166
Eliminations/ Reclassifications
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	(105)	(118)	(114)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(10)	(14)	(18)
Adjustments	0	0	0
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0	0
Total Assets	(1,145)	(1,466)	(1,454)
Expenditures for property	5	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Impairment charges	0	0	0
Equity income	0	0	0
Automotive
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Automotive interest income	146	241	429
Automotive interest expense	(950)	(1,098)	(782)
Automotive \| Operating Segments
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	113,584	108,669	122,697
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	10,465	7,909	7,311
Adjustments	(701)	(652)	(539)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	7,960	6,825	7,107
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,012	3,152	3,348
Total Assets	128,167	119,625	116,380
Expenditures for property	7,389	5,251	7,485
Depreciation and amortization	5,861	5,388	6,689
Impairment charges	0	119	22
Equity income	1,100	527	1,102
Automotive \| Operating Segments \| GMNA
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	101,308	96,733	106,366
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	10,318	9,071	8,204
Adjustments	(425)	(99)	(1,618)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	827	242	84
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	2,240	2,346	2,459
Total Assets	121,735	114,137	109,290
Expenditures for property	6,576	4,501	6,305
Depreciation and amortization	5,298	4,739	6,112
Impairment charges	0	20	15
Equity income	8	17	8
Automotive \| Operating Segments \| GMI
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	12,172	11,586	16,111
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	827	(528)	(202)
Adjustments	(276)	(683)	1,081
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	7,133	6,583	7,023
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	772	806	888
Total Assets	22,876	23,019	24,969
Expenditures for property	783	729	1,096
Depreciation and amortization	542	624	533
Impairment charges	0	99	7
Equity income	1,092	510	1,123
Automotive \| Corporate
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales and revenue	104	350	220
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes-adjusted	(680)	(634)	(691)
Adjustments	0	130	(2)
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0	1
Total Assets	40,492	39,933	32,365
Expenditures for property	30	21	84
Depreciation and amortization	21	25	46
Impairment charges	0	0	0
Equity income	0	0	(29)
Automotive \| Eliminations/ Reclassifications
Revenue and others for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Equity in net assets of nonconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0	0
Total Assets	(56,936)	(57,464)	(50,244)
Expenditures for property	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	(2)
Impairment charges	0	0	0
Equity income	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

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.