Consolidated Statements of Changes In Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Earnings	Loss on Pension Benefit Obligation	Currency Translation Adjustments	Foreign Currency Hedge Adjustment	Commodity Hedge Adjustment	Interest Rate Hedge Adjustment	Total Gentherm Equity	Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 215,163	$ 166,309	$ 24,120	$ (17,383)	$ (1,202)	$ (9,805)			$ (224)	$ 161,815	$ 53,348
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012		29,818,000
Acquisition of non-controlling interest	(45,637)	$ 42,517	(35,080)							7,437	(53,074)
Acquisition of non-controlling interest (in shares)		3,300,000
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash	$ 4,801	$ 6,624	(1,823)							4,801
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash (in shares)	672,753	673,000
Tax benefit from Exercises of Common Stock options	$ 2,074		2,074							2,074
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees	1,509	$ 1,509								1,509
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees (in shares)		184,000
Stock option compensation	1,127		1,127							1,127
Convertible preferred stock dividends	(1,622)			(1,622)						(1,622)
Stock issued upon conversion of preferred stock	15,108	$ 15,108								15,108
Stock issued upon conversion of preferred stock (in shares)		954,000
Distribution paid to non-controlling interest	(6)			(3)						(3)	(3)
Net gain (loss) on pension benefit obligation	144				144					144
Currency translation, net	4,157					5,741				5,741	(1,584)
Interest rate hedge, net	143								143	143
Net Income	35,133			33,820						33,820	$ 1,313
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	232,094	$ 232,067	(9,582)	14,812	(1,058)	(4,064)			(81)	232,094
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		34,929,000
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash	$ 7,176	$ 9,595	(2,419)							7,176
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash (in shares)	731,142	731,000
Tax benefit from Exercises of Common Stock options	$ 1,831		1,831							1,831
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees	2,706	$ 2,706								2,706
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees (in shares)		105,000
Stock option compensation	1,946		1,946							1,946
Cancelation of restricted stock	(1,113)	$ (1,113)								(1,113)
Cancelation of restricted stock (in shares)		(68,000)
Net gain (loss) on pension benefit obligation	(1,615)				(1,615)					(1,615)
Currency translation, net	(18,996)					(18,996)				(18,996)
Foreign currency hedge, net	(10)						$ (10)			(10)
Interest rate hedge, net	81								$ 81	81
Net Income	70,119			70,119						70,119
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 294,219	$ 243,255	(8,224)	84,931	(2,673)	(23,060)	(10)			294,219
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	35,696,742	35,697,000
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash	$ 9,273	$ 12,146	(2,873)							9,273
Exercise of Common Stock options for cash (in shares)	571,723	571,000
Tax benefit from Exercises of Common Stock options	$ 6,681		6,681							6,681
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees	3,734	$ 3,734								3,734
Common Stock issued to Board of Directors and employees (in shares)		108,000
Stock option compensation	3,025		3,025							3,025
Cancelation of restricted stock	(2,216)	$ (2,216)								(2,216)
Cancelation of restricted stock (in shares)		(54,000)
Net gain (loss) on pension benefit obligation	613				613					613
Currency translation, net	(26,212)		109			(26,321)				(26,212)
Foreign currency hedge, net	10						$ 10			10
Commodity hedge, net	(229)							$ (229)		(229)
Net Income	95,393			95,393						95,393
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 384,291	$ 256,919	$ (1,282)	$ 180,324	$ (2,060)	$ (49,381)		$ (229)		$ 384,291
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	36,321,775	36,322,000