Debt And Commitments - Debt Outstanding (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	$ 100,490	$ 99,488
Intersector [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable after one year	100,490	99,689
Automotive [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	1,142	1,033
Debt payable after one year	12,549	12,061
Total Debt	13,691	13,094
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure	13,751	13,451
Short Term Debt Carrying Value Fair Value	315	326
Automotive [Member] | U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loans [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	395	240
Debt payable after one year	4,866	4,556
Automotive [Member] | Other debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	182	216
Debt payable after one year	876	888
Automotive [Member] | Public Unsecured Debt Securities [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt, principal amount	5,419	5,260
Unamortized discount	(75)	(77)
Automotive [Member] | Convertible Notes [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt, principal amount	908	908
Unamortized discount	(165)	(172)
Automotive [Member] | European Investment Bank (EIB) loan [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable after one year	720	698
Automotive [Member] | Export Import Bank of the United States [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	250	250
Automotive [Member] | Non-Affiliates [Member] | Short Term Debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	565	559
Automotive [Member] | Unconsolidated Affiliates [Member] | Short Term Debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year		18
Financial Services [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Unamortized discount	123	152
Total Debt	86,799	86,595
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure	89,747	88,823
Short Term Debt Carrying Value Fair Value	7,100	7,000
Financial Services [Member] | Short Term Debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	15,030	16,596
Financial Services [Member] | Other debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	1,940	2,061
Financial Services [Member] | Asset backed commercial paper [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	6,670	6,835
Financial Services [Member] | Other asset backed short term debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	1,485	2,987
Financial Services [Member] | Ford Interest Advantage [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt	4,935	4,713
Financial Services [Member] | Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	4,670	6,144
Debt payable after one year	26,440	26,167
Financial Services [Member] | Asset backed debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable within one year	17,082	16,538
Debt payable after one year	23,136	20,621
Financial Services [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Fair value adjustments	564	681
Financial Services [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Debt payable after one year	71,769	69,999
Intersector Eliminations [Member]
Debt Outstanding [Abstract]
Total Debt		$ (201)