Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Total cash and cash equivalents	$ 18,562	$ 18,492
Restricted cash	193	146	$ 131
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	18,755	18,638	17,720	$ 16,019
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,155	2,429
Marketable securities	17,780	20,435
Fair Value, Estimate Not Practicable, Carrying (Reported) Amount [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash, time deposits, and money market funds	14,407	16,063
U.S. government | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,243	913
Marketable securities	3,116	6,546
U.S. government agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	797	733
Marketable securities	2,092	2,868
Non-U.S. government and agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	766	703
Marketable securities	6,197	5,930
Corporate debt | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,349	80
Marketable securities	5,494	4,879
Equities (a) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	484	138
Other marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	397	74
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Total cash and cash equivalents	7,539	8,930
Restricted cash	16	15	4
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,710	1,401
Marketable securities	16,040	17,554
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Fair Value, Estimate Not Practicable, Carrying (Reported) Amount [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash, time deposits, and money market funds	5,829	7,529
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | U.S. government | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	674	913
Marketable securities	2,859	5,580
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | U.S. government agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	375	433
Marketable securities	1,953	2,484
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Non-U.S. government and agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	201	0
Marketable securities	5,309	5,270
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Corporate debt | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	460	55
Marketable securities	5,189	4,031
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Equities (a) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	484	138
Operating Segments [Member] | Automotive | Other marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	246	51
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Total cash and cash equivalents	26	4
Restricted cash	30	7	7
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Fair Value, Estimate Not Practicable, Carrying (Reported) Amount [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash, time deposits, and money market funds	26	4
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | U.S. government | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | U.S. government agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Non-U.S. government and agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Corporate debt | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Equities (a) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Mobility Segment [Member] | Other marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Total cash and cash equivalents	10,997	9,558
Restricted cash	147	124	$ 120
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,445	1,028
Marketable securities	1,740	2,881
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Fair Value, Estimate Not Practicable, Carrying (Reported) Amount [Member] | Investment Type [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash, time deposits, and money market funds	8,552	8,530
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | U.S. government | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	569	0
Marketable securities	257	966
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | U.S. government agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	422	300
Marketable securities	139	384
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Non-U.S. government and agencies | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	565	703
Marketable securities	888	660
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Corporate debt | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	889	25
Marketable securities	305	848
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Equities (a) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Ford Credit [Member] | Other marketable securities | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable securities	151	23
Equity Method Investments [Member]
Items measured at fair value [Line Items]
Marketable Securities, Unrealized Gain (Loss)	$ 84	$ (27)