Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Our financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, instructions to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X.
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	In the opinion of management, these unaudited financial statements reflect a fair statement of our results of operations and financial condition for the periods, and at the dates, presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. Reference should be made to the financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (“2015 Form 10-K Report”).
Reclassifications, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Change in presentation. Our core Automotive business includes the designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing of a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. We provide vehicle-related financing and leasing activities through Ford Motor Credit Company LLC (“Ford Credit”). At the same time, we are pursuing emerging opportunities in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. Prior to the second quarter of 2016, we presented our financial statements on both a consolidated basis and on a “sector” basis for our Automotive and Financial Services sectors. With our expansion into mobility services, including the formation in March 2016 of the Ford Smart Mobility LLC subsidiary, we reevaluated our disclosures and concluded we should eliminate our two-sector financial presentation and, reflecting the manner in which our Chief Operating Decision Maker manages our business, changed our segment presentation beginning with the second quarter of 2016 to be Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other. See Note 3 for a description of our segment presentation. In addition, as a result of the elimination of our two-sector financial presentation, at June 30, 2016 we changed the presentation of our consolidated balance sheet and certain notes to the consolidated financial statements to classify our assets and liabilities as current or non-current. We reclassified certain prior year amounts in our consolidated financial statements to conform to the current year presentation.
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	In conjunction with our expanded business model to become an automotive, financial services, and mobility company, beginning with the second quarter of 2016, we changed our reportable segment disclosures. Reflecting the manner in which our Chief Operating Decision Maker manages our businesses, including resource allocation and performance assessment, we have four operating segments that represent the primary businesses reported in our consolidated financial statements. These operating segments are: Automotive, Financial Services, Ford Smart Mobility LLC, and Central Treasury Operations. Automotive and Financial Services comprise separate reportable segments. Ford Smart Mobility LLC and Central Treasury Operations did not meet the quantitative thresholds in this reporting period to qualify as reportable segments; therefore, these operating segments are combined and disclosed below as All Other. Prior-period amounts were adjusted retrospectively to reflect the change to our reportable segments. Below is a description of our reportable segments and the business activities included in All Other. Automotive Segment Our Automotive segment primarily includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles, service parts, and accessories worldwide, together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute, and service the vehicles, parts, and accessories. The segment includes 5 regional business units: North America, South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. Financial Services Segment The Financial Services segment primarily includes our vehicle-related financing and leasing activities at Ford Credit. All Other All Other is a combination of operating segments that did not meet the quantitative thresholds in this reporting period to qualify as reportable segments. All Other consists of our Central Treasury Operations (formerly Other Automotive) and Ford Smart Mobility LLC. The Central Treasury Operations segment is primarily engaged in decision making for investments, risk management activities, and providing financing for the Automotive segment. Interest income (excluding interest earned on our extended service contract portfolio that is included in our Automotive segment), interest expense, gains and losses on cash equivalents and marketable securities, and foreign exchange derivatives associated with intercompany lending, are included in the results of Central Treasury Operations. The underlying assets and liabilities, primarily cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, debt, and derivatives, remain with the Automotive segment. Ford Smart Mobility LLC is a new subsidiary formed to design, build, grow, and invest in emerging mobility services. Designed to compete like a start-up company, Ford Smart Mobility LLC will design and build mobility services on its own, and collaborate with start-ups and tech companies. Special Items In addition, our results include Special Items that consist of (i) pension and other postretirement employee benefits (“OPEB”) remeasurement gains and losses, (ii) significant personnel and dealer-related costs stemming from our efforts to match production capacity and cost structure to market demand and changing model mix, and (iii) certain infrequent significant items that we generally do not consider to be indicative of our ongoing operating activities. Our management excludes these items from its review of the results of the operating segments for purposes of measuring segment profitability and allocating resources. Special items are presented as a separate reconciling item.
Marketable Securities, Available-for-sale Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We determine other-than-temporary impairments on cash equivalents and marketable securities using a specific identification method.
Finance Loans and Leases Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]	For all finance receivables, we define “past due” as any payment, including principal and interest, that is at least 31 days past the contractual due date. Impaired consumer receivables include accounts that have been rewritten or modified in reorganization proceedings pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that are considered to be troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”), as well as all accounts greater than 120 days past due. Impaired non-consumer receivables represent accounts with dealers that have weak or poor financial metrics or dealer financing that has been modified in TDRs.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	All inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost for a substantial portion of U.S. inventories is determined on a last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) basis. LIFO was used for 32% and 27% of total inventories at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. Cost of other inventories is determined by costing methods that approximate a first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) basis.
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Derivative assets and liabilities are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value and are presented on a gross basis. The notional amounts of the derivative instruments do not necessarily represent amounts exchanged by the parties and are not a direct measure of our financial exposure. We also enter into master agreements with counterparties that may allow for netting of exposures in the event of default or breach of the counterparty agreement. In the normal course of business, our operations are exposed to global market risks, including the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, certain commodity prices, and interest rates. To manage these risks, we enter into highly effective derivative contracts. We have elected to apply hedge accounting to certain derivatives. Derivatives that are designated in hedging relationships are evaluated for effectiveness using regression analysis at the time they are designated and throughout the hedge period. Some derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting; for others, we elect not to apply hedge accounting.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	For interim tax reporting, we estimate one single effective tax rate for tax jurisdictions not subject to a valuation allowance, which is applied to the year-to-date ordinary income/(loss). Tax effects of significant unusual or infrequently occurring items are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation and recognized in the interim period in which they occur.
Commitments and Contingencies, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Litigation and Claims Various legal actions, proceedings, and claims (generally, “matters”) are pending or may be instituted or asserted against us. These include but are not limited to matters arising out of alleged defects in our products; product warranties; governmental regulations relating to safety, emissions, and fuel economy or other matters; government incentives; tax matters; alleged illegal acts resulting in fines or penalties; financial services; employment-related matters; dealer, supplier, and other contractual relationships; intellectual property rights; environmental matters; shareholder or investor matters; and financial reporting matters. Certain of the pending legal actions are, or purport to be, class actions. Some of the matters involve or may involve claims for compensatory, punitive, or antitrust or other treble damages in very large amounts, or demands for field service actions, environmental remediation programs, sanctions, loss of government incentives, assessments, or other relief, which, if granted, would require very large expenditures. The extent of our financial exposure to these matters is difficult to estimate. Many matters do not specify a dollar amount for damages, and many others specify only a jurisdictional minimum. To the extent an amount is asserted, our historical experience suggests that in most instances the amount asserted is not a reliable indicator of the ultimate outcome. We accrue for matters when losses are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. In evaluating matters for accrual and disclosure purposes, we take into consideration factors such as our historical experience with matters of a similar nature, the specific facts and circumstances asserted, the likelihood that we will prevail, and the severity of any potential loss. We reevaluate and update our accruals as matters progress over time. NOTE 16. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Continued) For the majority of matters, which generally arise out of alleged defects in our products, we establish an accrual based on our extensive historical experience with similar matters. We do not believe there is a reasonably possible outcome materially in excess of our accrual for these matters. For the remaining matters, where our historical experience with similar matters is of more limited value (i.e., “non-pattern matters”), we evaluate the matters primarily based on the individual facts and circumstances. For non-pattern matters, we evaluate whether there is a reasonable possibility of a material loss in excess of any accrual that can be estimated. As noted, the litigation process is subject to many uncertainties, and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable with assurance. Our assessments are based on our knowledge and experience, but the ultimate outcome of any matter could require payment substantially in excess of the amount that we have accrued and/or disclosed.
Guarantees, Indemnifications and Warranties Policies [Policy Text Block]	Warranty and Field Service Actions We accrue obligations for warranty costs and field service actions (i.e., safety recalls, emission recalls, and other product campaigns) at the time of sale using a patterned estimation model that includes historical information regarding the nature, frequency, and average cost of claims for each vehicle line by model year. Warranty and field service action obligations are reported in Other liabilities and deferred revenue. We reevaluate the adequacy of our accruals on a regular basis. We recognize the benefit from a recovery of the costs associated with our warranty and field service actions when specifics of the recovery have been agreed with our supplier and the amount of the recovery is virtually certain. Recoveries are reported in Trade and other receivables and Other assets. Guarantees and Indemnifications Guarantees and indemnifications are recorded at fair value at their inception. We regularly review our performance risk under these arrangements, and in the event it becomes probable we will be required to perform under guarantee or indemnity, the amount of probable payment is recorded. We guarantee debt and lease obligations of certain joint ventures, as well as certain financial obligations of outside third parties, including suppliers, to support our business and economic growth. Expiration dates vary through 2033, and guarantees will terminate on payment and/or cancellation of the underlying obligation. A payment by us would be triggered by failure of the joint venture or other third party to fulfill its obligation covered by the guarantee. In some circumstances, we are entitled to recover from a third party amounts paid by us under the guarantee. However, our ability to enforce these rights is sometimes stayed until the guaranteed party is paid in full, and may be limited in the event of insolvency of the third party or other circumstances. In the ordinary course of business, we execute contracts involving indemnifications standard in the industry and indemnifications specific to a transaction, such as the sale of a business. These indemnifications might include and are not limited to claims relating to any of the following: environmental, tax, and shareholder matters; intellectual property rights; power generation contracts; governmental regulations and employment-related matters; dealer, supplier, and other commercial contractual relationships; and financial matters, such as securitizations. Performance under these indemnities generally would be triggered by a breach of terms of the contract or by a third-party claim. While some of these indemnifications are limited in nature, many of them do not limit potential payment. Therefore, we are unable to estimate a maximum amount of future payments that could result from claims made under these unlimited indemnities.