Shareowners' Equity (Shares of GE Preferred Stock - Other) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 18, 2015	Dec. 03, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jan. 20, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015)		$ 5,944	$ 6		$ 6		$ 5,000		$ 6
Average dividend rate		4.07%					6.44%
Special dividend paid by finance subsidiary to parent				$ 0
Quarterly dividends paid by GECC to GE			5,050		16,050	$ 450
Dividends preferred stock cash			0		184
Accretion of dividends					122
Dividends preferred stock total			33		474
Series A
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015)		$ 2,778	91		91			$ 2,687
Series B
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015)		2,073	64		64			2,008
Series C
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015)		1,094	$ 95		95			999
Series D
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015)		$ 5,944						$ 5,694
Initial fixed interest	5.00%
Floating Rate	3.33%
Dividends preferred stock cash					37
Accretion of dividends					195
Dividends preferred stock total					$ 232