Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Our financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X.
Intercompany Transactions, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We show certain of our financial statements on both a consolidated and a sector basis for our Automotive and Financial Services sectors. Intercompany items have been eliminated in both the consolidated and sector balance sheets. Where the presentation of these intercompany eliminations or consolidated adjustments differs between the consolidated and sector financial statements, reconciliations of certain line items are explained below in this Note or in the related financial statements and footnotes.
Reclassifications, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We reclassified certain prior year amounts in our consolidated financial statements to conform to current year presentation.
Finance Loans and Leases Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Impaired consumer receivables include accounts that have been rewritten or modified in reorganization proceedings pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that are considered to be troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”), as well as all accounts greater than 120 days past due. Impaired non-consumer receivables represent accounts with dealers that have weak or poor financial metrics or dealer financing that has been modified in TDRs. For all finance receivables, we define “past due” as any payment, including principal and interest, that is at least 31 days past the contractual due date.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	All inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost for a substantial portion of U.S. inventories is determined on a last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) basis. LIFO was used for 31% and 27% of total inventories at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. Cost of other inventories is determined by costing methods that approximate a first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) basis.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	For interim tax reporting we estimate one single effective tax rate for tax jurisdictions not subject to a valuation allowance, which is applied to the year-to-date ordinary income/(loss). Tax effects of significant unusual or infrequently occurring items are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation and recognized in the interim period in which they occur.
Commitments and Contingencies, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Guarantees and indemnifications are recorded at fair value at their inception. We accrue obligations for warranty costs and field service actions (i.e., safety recalls, emission recalls, and other product campaigns) at the time of sale using a patterned estimation model that includes historical information regarding the nature, frequency, and average cost of claims for each vehicle line by model year. Warranty and field service action obligations are reported in Other liabilities and deferred revenue. We reevaluate the adequacy of our accruals on a regular basis. We recognize the benefit from a recovery of the costs associated with our warranty and field service actions when specifics of the recovery have been agreed with our supplier and the amount of the recovery is virtually certain. Recoveries are reported in Receivables and Other assets. We accrue for matters when losses are deemed probable and reasonably estimable

Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Our financial statements are presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X.

Intercompany Transactions, Policy [Policy Text Block]

We show certain of our financial statements on both a consolidated and a sector basis for our Automotive and Financial Services sectors. Intercompany items have been eliminated in both the consolidated and sector balance sheets. Where the presentation of these intercompany eliminations or consolidated adjustments differs between the consolidated and sector financial statements, reconciliations of certain line items are explained below in this Note or in the related financial statements and footnotes.

Reclassifications, Policy [Policy Text Block]

We reclassified certain prior year amounts in our consolidated financial statements to conform to current year presentation.

Finance Loans and Leases Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Impaired consumer receivables include accounts that have been rewritten or modified in reorganization proceedings pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that are considered to be troubled debt restructurings (“TDRs”), as well as all accounts greater than 120 days past due. Impaired non-consumer receivables represent accounts with dealers that have weak or poor financial metrics or dealer financing that has been modified in TDRs.

For all finance receivables, we define “past due” as any payment, including principal and interest, that is at least 31 days past the contractual due date.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

All inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost for a substantial portion of U.S. inventories is determined on a last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) basis. LIFO was used for 31% and 27% of total inventories at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. Cost of other inventories is determined by costing methods that approximate a first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) basis.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

For interim tax reporting we estimate one single effective tax rate for tax jurisdictions not subject to a valuation allowance, which is applied to the year-to-date ordinary income/(loss). Tax effects of significant unusual or infrequently occurring items are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation and recognized in the interim period in which they occur.

Commitments and Contingencies, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Guarantees and indemnifications are recorded at fair value at their inception.

We accrue obligations for warranty costs and field service actions (i.e., safety recalls, emission recalls, and other product campaigns) at the time of sale using a patterned estimation model that includes historical information regarding the nature, frequency, and average cost of claims for each vehicle line by model year. Warranty and field service action obligations are reported in Other liabilities and deferred revenue. We reevaluate the adequacy of our accruals on a regular basis.

We recognize the benefit from a recovery of the costs associated with our warranty and field service actions when specifics of the recovery have been agreed with our supplier and the amount of the recovery is virtually certain. Recoveries are reported in Receivables and Other assets.

We accrue for matters when losses are deemed probable and reasonably estimable

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for finance, loan and lease receivables, including those held for investment and those held for sale. This disclosure may include (1) the basis at which such receivables are carried in the entity's statements of financial position (2) how the level of the allowance for loan and lease losses is determined (3) when impairments, charge-offs or recoveries are recognized for such receivables (4) the treatment of origination fees and costs, including the amortization method for net deferred fees or costs (5) the treatment of any premiums or discounts or unearned income (6) the entity's income recognition (revenues, expenses and gains and losses arising from committing to issue, issuing, granting, collecting, terminating, modifying and holding loans) policies for such receivables, including those that are impaired, past due or placed on nonaccrual status and (7) the treatment of foreclosures or repossessions.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for major classes of inventories, bases of stating inventories (for example, lower of cost or market), methods by which amounts are added and removed from inventory classes (for example, FIFO, LIFO, or average cost), loss recognition on impairment of inventories, and situations in which inventories are stated above cost. If inventory is carried at cost, this disclosure includes the nature of the cost elements included in inventory.

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