Quarterly Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Net sales	$ 4,313		$ 4,091		$ 4,206		$ 4,051		$ 3,879		$ 3,631		$ 3,858		$ 3,797		$ 16,661		$ 15,165		$ 15,499
Cost of sales	3,238	[1]	3,256		3,348		3,265		3,161		2,862		3,076		3,056		13,107		12,155		12,471
Gross profit	1,075		835		858		786		718		769		782		741		3,554		3,010
Operating income	655		460		391	[2]	441		335	[3]	461		481		446		1,947	[4]	1,723	[5]	1,758	[6]
Income from continuing operations	306		306		271		335		224		364		369		304		1,218		1,261		1,380
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		0		0		108	[7]	(3)		54	[8]	298	[8]	(75)	[8]	108		274		60
Net income	306		306	[9]	271		443		221		418		667		229	[10]	1,326		1,535		1,440
Net income attributable to Delphi	$ 281		$ 293		$ 258		$ 425		$ 192		$ 404		$ 645		$ 209		$ 1,257		$ 1,450		$ 1,351
Income from continuing operations, per basic share	$ 1.04	[11]	$ 1.08	[11]	$ 0.95	[11]	$ 1.16	[11]	$ 0.71	[11]	$ 1.24	[11]	$ 1.22	[11]	$ 0.99	[11]	$ 4.22	[11]	$ 4.16	[11]	$ 4.36
Income from discontinued operations, per basic share	0.00	[11]	0.00	[11]	0.00	[11]	0.38	[11]	(0.02)	[11]	0.19	[11]	1.02	[11]	(0.27)	[11]	0.38	[11]	0.92	[11]	0.14
Basic net income per share attributable to Delphi	$ 1.04	[11]	$ 1.08	[11]	$ 0.95	[11]	$ 1.54	[11]	$ 0.69	[11]	$ 1.43	[11]	$ 2.24	[11]	$ 0.72	[11]	$ 4.60	[11]	$ 5.08	[11]	$ 4.50
Weighted average number of basic shares outstanding	270,380		272,190		272,920		276,620		279,290		282,970		287,770		290,900		273,020		285,200		300,270
Income from continuing operations, per diluted share	$ 1.03	[11]	$ 1.07	[11]	$ 0.94	[11]	$ 1.15	[11]	$ 0.70	[11]	$ 1.23	[11]	$ 1.21	[11]	$ 0.99	[11]	$ 4.21	[11]	$ 4.14	[11]	$ 4.34
Income from discontinued operations, per diluted share	0.00	[11]	0.00	[11]	0.00	[11]	0.38	[11]	(0.02)	[11]	0.19	[11]	1.02	[11]	(0.27)	[11]	0.38	[11]	0.92	[11]	0.14
Diluted net income per share attributable to Delphi	$ 1.03	[11]	$ 1.07	[11]	$ 0.94	[11]	$ 1.53	[11]	$ 0.68	[11]	$ 1.42	[11]	$ 2.23	[11]	$ 0.72	[11]	$ 4.59	[11]	$ 5.06	[11]	$ 4.48
Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding	271,640		272,770		273,370		277,040		281,640		284,400		288,850		291,810		273,700		286,640		301,890
Gain (loss) on business divestitures																	$ 141		$ (8)
Restructuring					$ 154				$ 108								328		177		$ 140
Gain (loss) on divestiture of discontinued operations, net of tax							$ 104
Loss on extinguishment of debt			$ (73)												$ (52)		(73)		(58)		(34)
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision																	300		0		0
Powertrain Systems
Restructuring																	$ 172		115		55
Powertrain Systems | EMEA
Restructuring																			68
Other income (expense), net | Unsecured Creditors Litigation | Judicial Ruling
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision	$ 300
Plant Closure | Powertrain Systems | EMEA
Restructuring					$ 88																$ 35
Mechatronics Business
Gain (loss) on business divestitures	$ 141
Thermal Systems | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Gain (loss) on divestiture of discontinued operations, net of tax													$ 285						271
Thermal Systems | KDAC | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Gain (loss) on divestiture of discontinued operations, net of tax											$ 47								$ (41)
Impairment loss on KDAC interest															$ 88

[1] In the fourth quarter of 2016, Delphi recognized a pre-tax gain of $141 million on the divestiture of its Mechatronics business.

[2] In the second quarter of 2016, Delphi recorded restructuring charges totaling $154 million, which includes employee-related and other costs, $88 million of which related to the initiation of the closure of a European manufacturing site within the Powertrain Systems segment.

[3] In the fourth quarter of 2015, Delphi recorded restructuring charges totaling $108 million, which includes employee-related and other costs.

[4] Includes a pre-tax gain of $141 million from the divestiture of the Electronics and Safety Mechatronics business, as well as charges recorded in 2016 related to costs associated with employee termination benefits and other exit costs of $117 million for Electrical/Electronic Architecture, $172 million for Powertrain Systems and $39 million for Electronics and Safety.

[5] Includes charges recorded in 2015 related to costs associated with employee termination benefits and other exit costs of $37 million for Electrical/Electronic Architecture, $115 million for Powertrain Systems and $25 million for Electronics and Safety

[6] Includes charges recorded in 2014 related to costs associated with employee termination benefits and other exit costs of $57 million for Electrical/Electronic Architecture, $55 million for Powertrain Systems and $28 million for Electronics and Safety.

[7] In the first quarter of 2016, Delphi recognized an after-tax gain on the divestiture of discontinued operations of $104 million.

[8] In the first quarter of 2015, Delphi recognized an after-tax impairment loss of $88 million within discontinued operations, in the second quarter of 2015, Delphi recognized an after-tax gain on the divestiture of discontinued operations of $285 million and in the third quarter of 2015, Delphi recognized an after-tax gain on the divestiture of discontinued operations of $47 million.

[9] In the third quarter of 2016, Delphi recognized losses on the extinguishment of debt of $73 million.

[10] In the first quarter of 2015, Delphi recognized a loss on extinguishment of debt of $52 million.

[11] Due to the use of the weighted average shares outstanding for each quarter for computing earnings per share, the sum of the quarterly per share amounts may not equal the per share amount for the year.