Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 16,460,000,000	$ 17,992,000,000	$ 16,460,000,000	$ 17,992,000,000	$ 14,805,000,000	$ 20,894,000,000
Other receivables, net	9,036,000,000		9,036,000,000		8,381,000,000
Inventories	7,212,000,000		7,212,000,000		5,917,000,000
Net property	22,304,000,000		22,304,000,000		23,179,000,000
Other assets	5,977,000,000		5,977,000,000		5,221,000,000
Total assets	162,740,000,000	177,078,000,000	162,740,000,000	177,078,000,000	164,687,000,000
Payables	18,924,000,000		18,924,000,000		16,362,000,000
Accrued liabilities and deferred revenue	41,441,000,000		41,441,000,000		43,844,000,000
Debt	95,131,000,000		95,131,000,000		103,988,000,000
Total liabilities	156,714,000,000		156,714,000,000		165,329,000,000
Financial Performance [Abstract]
Interest expense	1,096,000,000	1,469,000,000	3,397,000,000	4,806,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Cash contribution for collateral to support Wholesale Securitization Program	0		0		0
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Cash contribution for collateral to support Wholesale Securitization Program	490,000,000		490,000,000
Automotive [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	8,089,000,000	9,040,000,000	8,089,000,000	9,040,000,000	6,301,000,000	9,762,000,000
Inventories	7,212,000,000		7,212,000,000		5,917,000,000
Net property	22,165,000,000		22,165,000,000		23,027,000,000
Total assets	66,814,000,000	72,438,000,000	66,814,000,000	72,438,000,000	64,606,000,000
Debt	12,654,000,000		12,654,000,000		19,077,000,000
Total liabilities	68,985,000,000		68,985,000,000		74,904,000,000
Financial Performance [Abstract]
Interest expense	181,000,000	415,000,000	634,000,000	1,475,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents					9,000,000
Other receivables, net					13,000,000
Inventories					19,000,000
Net property					31,000,000
Other assets					2,000,000
Total assets					74,000,000
Payables					16,000,000
Total liabilities					16,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Total maximum exposure	270,000,000		270,000,000		427,000,000
Total change in maximum exposure	(157,000,000)		(157,000,000)
Automotive [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Investments [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Total maximum exposure	260,000,000		260,000,000		417,000,000
Total change in maximum exposure	(157,000,000)		(157,000,000)
Automotive [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Guarantees [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Total maximum exposure	10,000,000		10,000,000		10,000,000
Total change in maximum exposure	0		0
Automotive [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Zeledyne LLC [Member]
Not Primary Beneficiary Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Carrying value of obligation in VIE	10,000,000		10,000,000
Financial Services [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	8,371,000,000	8,952,000,000	8,371,000,000	8,952,000,000	8,504,000,000	11,132,000,000
Other assets	3,899,000,000		3,899,000,000		4,221,000,000
Total assets	99,212,000,000	110,178,000,000	99,212,000,000	110,178,000,000	103,270,000,000
Payables	1,177,000,000		1,177,000,000		1,352,000,000
Debt	82,678,000,000		82,678,000,000		85,112,000,000
Total liabilities	91,015,000,000		91,015,000,000		93,614,000,000
Financial Performance [Abstract]
Interest expense	915,000,000	1,054,000,000	2,763,000,000	3,331,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,400,000,000		3,400,000,000		4,100,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	53,400,000,000		53,400,000,000		56,600,000,000
Debt	39,000,000,000		39,000,000,000		40,200,000,000
Footnote information [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entities Liabilities Excluded	323,000,000		323,000,000		334,000,000
Derivative Instruments related exposure [Abstract]
Derivative asset exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	250,000,000		250,000,000		160,000,000
Derivative liabilities exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	154,000,000		154,000,000		259,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Finance Receivables [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,000,000,000		3,000,000,000		3,300,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	48,700,000,000		48,700,000,000		50,500,000,000
Debt	36,200,000,000		36,200,000,000		37,200,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Retail [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,600,000,000		2,600,000,000		2,900,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	32,500,000,000		32,500,000,000		33,900,000,000
Debt	26,600,000,000		26,600,000,000		27,100,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	400,000,000		400,000,000		800,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	4,700,000,000		4,700,000,000		6,100,000,000
Debt	2,800,000,000		2,800,000,000		3,000,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Ford Credit [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Variable Interest Entity, Financial or Other Support, Amount	250,000,000
Derivative Instruments related exposure [Abstract]
Derivative asset exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	81,000,000		81,000,000		134,000,000
Derivative liabilities exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	60,000,000		60,000,000		37,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Wholesale [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	400,000,000		400,000,000		400,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	16,200,000,000		16,200,000,000		16,600,000,000
Debt	9,600,000,000		9,600,000,000		10,100,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Securitization Transactions [Member]
Derivative Instruments related exposure [Abstract]
Derivative asset exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	169,000,000		169,000,000		26,000,000
Derivative liabilities exposure based on the fair value of derivative instruments related to securitization programs	94,000,000		94,000,000		222,000,000
Financial Performance [Abstract]
Derivative Income/(Expense)	46,000,000	90,000,000	13,000,000	237,000,000
Interest expense	248,000,000	298,000,000	763,000,000	972,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Finance Receivables [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	200,000,000		200,000,000		200,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	4,300,000,000		4,300,000,000		4,100,000,000
Debt	3,900,000,000		3,900,000,000		3,700,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Finance Receivables [Member] | Securitization Transactions [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,200,000,000		3,200,000,000		3,500,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	53,000,000,000		53,000,000,000		54,600,000,000
Debt	40,100,000,000		40,100,000,000		40,900,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member] | Securitization Transactions [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	400,000,000		400,000,000		800,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	4,700,000,000		4,700,000,000		6,100,000,000
Debt	2,800,000,000		2,800,000,000		3,000,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Maximum Exposure to Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
Total maximum exposure	77,000,000		77,000,000		71,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Debt	42,925,000,000		42,925,000,000
Financial Services [Member] | Securitization Transactions [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,600,000,000		3,600,000,000		4,300,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	57,700,000,000		57,700,000,000		60,700,000,000
Debt	42,900,000,000		42,900,000,000		43,900,000,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,434,000,000		3,434,000,000		4,062,000,000
Other receivables, net	0		0		13,000,000
Inventories	0		0		19,000,000
Net property	0		0		31,000,000
Other assets	169,000,000		169,000,000		28,000,000
Payables	0		0		16,000,000
Accrued liabilities and deferred revenue	94,000,000		94,000,000		222,000,000
Debt	38,979,000,000		38,979,000,000		40,247,000,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Net Investment in Operating Leases [Member]
Assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	400,000,000		400,000,000		800,000,000
Notes Receivable Net And Net Investment In Operating Leases	4,700,000,000		4,700,000,000		6,100,000,000
Debt	$ 2,800,000,000		$ 2,800,000,000		$ 3,000,000,000