Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	$ 116,469		$ 114,568
Property, plant and equipment - net	68,827		68,633
Depreciation and amortization	9,762		9,192		8,986
Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	1,353		1,466
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	342		451
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	(347)		(363)
Property, plant and equipment - net	(354)		(367)
Subsidiaries [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	38,249		35,878
Property, plant and equipment - net	17,574	[1]	16,033	[1]
Subsidiaries [Member] | Land and Land Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	707		612
Property, plant and equipment - net	671		582
Subsidiaries [Member] | Land and Land Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	8 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Land and Land Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	8 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Buildings, Structures and Related Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	8,910		8,361
Property, plant and equipment - net	4,205		4,003
Subsidiaries [Member] | Buildings, Structures and Related Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	8 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Buildings, Structures and Related Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	40 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	25,323		24,090
Property, plant and equipment - net	9,701		9,061
Subsidiaries [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	4 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	20 years
Subsidiaries [Member] | Leasehold Costs And Manufacturing Plant Under Construction [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	3,309		2,815
Property, plant and equipment - net	2,997		2,387
Subsidiaries [Member] | Leasehold Costs And Manufacturing Plant Under Construction [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	1 year
Subsidiaries [Member] | Leasehold Costs And Manufacturing Plant Under Construction [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	10 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	78,567		79,053
Property, plant and equipment - net	51,607		52,967
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use	732		242
Amortization of Leased Asset	6,696		6,097		6,063
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Land and Land Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	1 year
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Land and Land Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	35 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Land And Improvements, Buildings, Structures And Related Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	2,504		2,485
Property, plant and equipment - net	1,025		999
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Air Transportation Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	50,337		49,954
Property, plant and equipment - net	34,938		36,231
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Air Transportation Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	20 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Air Transportation Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	20 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Vehicles [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	14,656		15,952
Property, plant and equipment - net	8,312		8,634
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Vehicles [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	1 year
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Vehicles [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	20 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Railroad Transportation Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	4,636		4,180
Property, plant and equipment - net	3,129		2,744
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Railroad Transportation Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	4 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Railroad Transportation Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	50 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Construction And Manufacturing [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	2,916		3,055
Property, plant and equipment - net	1,955		2,069
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Construction And Manufacturing [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	1 year
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Construction And Manufacturing [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	30 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Other Machinery and Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Original cost	3,518		3,427
Property, plant and equipment - net	$ 2,248		$ 2,290
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Other Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	7 years
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Equipment Leased to Other Party [Member] | Other Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment
Depreciable lives-new (in years)	27 years

[1] (a)        Represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC or financial services), which is presented on a one-line basis. See Note 1.