Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 quarters	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income before income taxes, excluding equity in net results of affilaited companies accounted for after-tax
U.S.	$ 6,639,000,000	$ 6,043,000,000	$ 4,057,000,000
Non-U.S.	493,000,000	2,138,000,000	2,554,000,000
Total	7,132,000,000	8,181,000,000	6,611,000,000
Current
Federal	4,000,000	(4,000,000)	(69,000,000)
Non-U.S.	270,000,000	298,000,000	289,000,000
State and local	3,000,000	(24,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Total current	277,000,000	270,000,000	215,000,000
Deferred
Federal	2,076,000,000	(9,785,000,000)	0
Non-U.S.	(126,000,000)	(1,590,000,000)	292,000,000
State and local	(171,000,000)	(436,000,000)	85,000,000
Total deferred	1,779,000,000	(11,811,000,000)	377,000,000
Total	2,056,000,000	(11,541,000,000)	592,000,000
Reconciliation of effective rate
U.S. statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Non-U.S. tax rates under U.S. rates	(1.60%)	(1.50%)	(0.10%)
State and local income taxes	0.20%	1.10%	1.50%
General business credits	0.30%	(1.90%)	(1.80%)
Dispositions and restructurings	(1.70%)	6.80%	(9.50%)
U.S. tax on non-U.S. earnings	(1.00%)	(0.80%)	0.10%
Prior year settlements and claims	(1.80%)	(0.20%)	(10.00%)
Tax-related interest	0.00%	(0.90%)	(0.70%)
Tax exempt income	(3.90%)	(3.90%)	(4.70%)
Other	1.70%	(2.50%)	0.20%
Valuation allowances	1.60%	(172.30%)	(1.00%)
Effective rate	28.80%	(141.10%)	9.00%
Undistributed Foreign Earnings	6,900,000,000
Undistributed Foreign Earnings, Deferred Taxes Not Provided	6,600,000,000
Undistributed Foreign Earnings, Potential Deferred Tax liability	600,000,000
Period of Cumulative Profitability	3 years
Consecutive Quarters of Pretax Operating Profits	10
Deferred tax assets
Employee benefit plans	8,079,000,000	8,189,000,000
Net operating loss carryforwards	2,417,000,000	3,163,000,000
Tax credit carryforwards	4,973,000,000	4,534,000,000
Research expenditures	2,321,000,000	2,297,000,000
Dealer and customer allowances and claims	1,820,000,000	1,731,000,000
Other foreign deferred tax assets	1,790,000,000	694,000,000
Allowance for credit losses	146,000,000	194,000,000
All other	1,176,000,000	1,483,000,000
Total gross deferred tax assets	22,722,000,000	22,285,000,000
Less: valuation allowance	(1,923,000,000)	(1,545,000,000)
Total net deferred tax assets	20,799,000,000	20,740,000,000
Deferred tax liabilities
Leasing transactions	1,145,000,000	932,000,000
Deferred income	2,094,000,000	2,098,000,000
Depreciation and amortization (excluding leasing transactions)	1,561,000,000	1,659,000,000
Finance receivables	616,000,000	551,000,000
Other foreign deferred tax liabilities	379,000,000	360,000,000
All other	289,000,000	711,000,000
Total deferred tax liabilities	6,084,000,000	6,311,000,000
Net deferred tax assets/(liabilities)	14,715,000,000	14,429,000,000
Narrative [Abstract]
Operating Loss Carryforwards	6,900,000,000
Net operating loss carryforwards	2,417,000,000	3,163,000,000
Tax Credit Carryforwards	5,000,000,000
Tax Credit Carryforward, Remaining Carryforward Period	10 years
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,721,000,000	966,000,000
Increase - tax positions in prior periods	84,000,000	1,045,000,000
Increase - tax positions in current period	19,000,000	59,000,000
Decrease - tax positions in prior periods	(246,000,000)	(134,000,000)
Settlements	(31,000,000)	(186,000,000)
Lapse of statute of limitations	(14,000,000)	(21,000,000)
Foreign current translation adjustment	14,000,000	(8,000,000)
Ending balance	1,547,000,000	1,721,000,000	966,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	1,200,000,000	1,200,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits Interest Income	9,000,000	77,000,000	45,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued	120,000,000	171,000,000
Foreign Subsidiaries [Member]
Reconciliation of effective rate
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Undistributed Foreign Earnings	63,000,000
North America [Member]
Reconciliation of effective rate
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Valuation Allowance	500,000,000
South America [Member]
Reconciliation of effective rate
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Valuation Allowance	$ 1,400,000,000