Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net	[1]	$ 83,748		$ 83,748		$ 122,457
Investment securities	[1]	36,868		36,868		38,320
Other Assets	[1]	19,155		19,155		23,198
Non Recourse Borrowings		1,216		1,216		1,183
Other Liabilities	[1]	11,330		11,330		9,549
Total revenues	[1]	6,312	$ 6,384	17,452	$ 19,223
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses	[1]	738	858	4,636	2,693
Interest expense	[1]	1,151	1,061	3,096	3,184
Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net		27,701		27,701		29,703
Investment securities		1,412		1,412		3,374
Other Assets		1,275		1,275		2,475
Assets VIE		30,388		30,388		35,552
Borrowings		986		986		513
Non Recourse Borrowings		16,225		16,225		18,095
Other Liabilities		1,367		1,367		2,509
Liabilities VIE		18,578		18,578		21,117
Total revenues		1,410	1,593	4,313	4,350
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses		189	244	714	791
Interest And Other Financial Charges				208	$ 195
Interest expense		75	$ 69
Consolidated VIE | Appliances [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Current receivables		724		724		686
Trinity [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net		0		0		0
Investment securities		401		401		2,369
Other Assets		45		45		17
Assets VIE		446		446		2,386
Borrowings		0		0		0
Non Recourse Borrowings		0		0		0
Other Liabilities		193		193		1,022
Liabilities VIE		193		193		1,022
Commingled cash amounts owed to CSEs		939		939		1,091
Commingled cash receivable from CSEs		170		170		391
Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Intercompany Advances Eliminated In Consolidation		15		15		1,565
Credit Card Receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net		24,036		24,036		25,645
Investment securities		0		0		0
Other Assets		144		144		1,059
Assets VIE		24,180		24,180		26,704
Borrowings		0		0		0
Non Recourse Borrowings		13,640		13,640		14,967
Other Liabilities		20		20		332
Liabilities VIE		13,660		13,660		15,299
Trade Accounts Receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net		3,134		3,134		3,028
Investment securities		0		0		0
Other Assets		2		2		2
Assets VIE		3,136		3,136		3,030
Borrowings		0		0		0
Non Recourse Borrowings		2,516		2,516		2,692
Other Liabilities		28		28		26
Liabilities VIE		2,544		2,544		2,718
Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net		531		531		1,030
Investment securities		1,011		1,011		1,005
Other Assets		1,084		1,084		1,397
Assets VIE		2,626		2,626		3,432
Borrowings		986		986		513
Non Recourse Borrowings		69		69		436
Other Liabilities		1,126		1,126		1,129
Liabilities VIE		2,181		2,181		$ 2,078
JV that lease equipment [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		466		466
Liabilities VIE		466		466
Entities involved in power generation and leasing [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		331		331
Liabilities VIE		187		187
Insurance activities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		1,126		1,126
Liabilities VIE		$ 564		$ 564

[1] Amounts may not add due to rounding.