Net Property and Lease Commitments (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Capitalization useful life policy	more than one year
Property Plant And Equipment Capitalization Policy Useful Life Term, Minimum	1 year
Capitalization policy amount	$ 2,500
Property and equipment, minimum useful life	3
Property and equipment, maximum useful life	36
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Net property	22,371,000,000	23,179,000,000
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization [Abstract]
Total	5,376,000,000	5,900,000,000	7,667,000,000
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	331,000,000	347,000,000
Liabilities settled	(6,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Revision to estimates	(59,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Ending balance	266,000,000	331,000,000	347,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - 2012	249,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2013	236,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2014	185,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2015	146,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2016	125,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - Thereafter	272,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - Total	1,213,000,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net [Abstract]
Rental expense	540,000,000	611,000,000	773,000,000
Buildings and land improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and equipment, average useful life	30
Machinery, equipment and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and equipment, average useful life	14.5
Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and equipment, average useful life	3.0
Mainframe and client based software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property and equipment, average useful life	8
Automotive [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Net property	22,229,000,000	23,027,000,000
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and other amortization	1,759,000,000	1,956,000,000	1,913,000,000
Amortization of special tools	1,774,000,000	1,920,000,000	1,830,000,000
Total	3,533,000,000	3,876,000,000	3,743,000,000
Maintenance and rearrangement	1,431,000,000	1,397,000,000	1,230,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - 2012	195,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2013	194,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2014	157,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2015	124,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2016	105,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - Thereafter	231,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - Total	1,006,000,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net [Abstract]
Rental expense	416,000,000	475,000,000	624,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	384,000,000	336,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Buildings and land improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	10,129,000,000	10,348,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Machinery, equipment and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	34,363,000,000	35,780,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Software [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	1,917,000,000	1,888,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Construction in progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	1,311,000,000	1,102,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Land, plant and equipment and other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Gross property	48,104,000,000	49,454,000,000
Accumulated depreciation	(32,874,000,000)	(33,900,000,000)
Net property	15,230,000,000	15,554,000,000
Automotive [Member] | Special tools, net of amortization [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Net property	6,999,000,000	7,473,000,000
Financial Services [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract]
Net property	142,000,000	152,000,000
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization [Abstract]
Total	1,843,000,000	2,024,000,000	3,924,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - 2012	54,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2013	42,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2014	28,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2015	22,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - 2016	20,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due - Thereafter	41,000,000
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due - Total	207,000,000
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net [Abstract]
Rental expense	$ 124,000,000	$ 136,000,000	$ 149,000,000