<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-01-27</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000053669</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>JOHNSON CONTROLS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>JCI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001040150</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BARNETT ROBERT L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5757 N. GREEN BAY AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P.O. BOX 591</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILWAUKEE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>53201-0591</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12338.888</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trust with Reporting Person as Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units / Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-01-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3794</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>28.99</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3794</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>200815.121</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units / Directors' Retirement Plan</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>36822.698</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36822.698</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 301.799 shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends on April 4, July 2, and October 2, 2009, and January 4, 2010 at prices ranging from $15.17 to $27.7623 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The phantom stock units convert to the common stock's cash value on a one-for-one basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The phantom stock units were accrued under the Johnson Controls Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan and are to be settled 100% in cash.  The reporting person has the right to transfer the value of the phantom stock account into an alternative investment account within the plan or to move out of the plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 4,864.659 phantom stock units acquired through the reinvestment of dividends on April 2, July 2, and October 2, 2009, and January 4, 2010, at prices ranging from $15.02 to $27.80 per phantom stock unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to a domestic relations order and Rule 16a-1(a)(2), for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of 80,249.404 units of the phantom stock in the Deferred Compensation Plan account.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The phantom stock units were accrued under the Johnson Controls Directors'  Retirement Plan and are to be settled 100% in cash.  The reporting person has the right to transfer the value of the phantom stock account into an alternative investment account within the plan or to move out of the plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Includes 909.191 units acquired through the reinvestment of dividends on April 2, July 2, and October 2, 2009, and January 4, 2010, at prices ranging from $15.02 to $27.80 per phantom stock unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Pursuant to a domestic relations order and Rule 16a-1(a)(2), for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of 14,125.870 units of the phantom stock in the Deferred Compensation Plan account.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angela M. Blair, Attorney-In-Fact for Robert L. Barnett</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-01-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
