VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated VIEs (Details) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) funding_vehicle	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	$ 6,018
Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	6,199	$ 6,105
Liabilities	4,868	4,553
GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	590	549
Liabilities	$ 482	458
GE Capital
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of funding vehicles established | funding_vehicle	2
Number of funding vehicles partially funded by third-party debt | funding_vehicle	1
GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	$ 1,830	1,792
Liabilities	1,746	1,779
GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	3,779	3,764
Liabilities	2,640	2,316
Financing receivables, net | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	919	1,035
Financing receivables, net | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	0	0
Financing receivables, net | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	0	0
Financing receivables, net | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	919	1,035
Current receivables | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	606	727
Current receivables | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	49	57
Current receivables | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	557	670
Current receivables | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	0	0
Investment securities | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	965	982
Investment securities | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	0	0
Investment securities | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	0	0
Investment securities | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	965	982
Other assets | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	3,709	3,361
Other assets | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	541	492
Other assets | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	1,273	1,122
Other assets | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets	1,895	1,747
Borrowings
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	708
Borrowings | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	1,149	819
Borrowings | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	71	1
Borrowings | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	0	0
Borrowings | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	1,078	818
Non-recourse borrowings | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	709	417
Non-recourse borrowings | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	0	0
Non-recourse borrowings | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	693	401
Non-recourse borrowings | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	16	16
Other liabilities | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	3,010	3,317
Other liabilities | GE | Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	411	457
Other liabilities | GE Capital | Customer Notes receivables
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	1,053	1,378
Other liabilities | GE Capital | Other
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Liabilities	$ 1,546	$ 1,482