General Motors Corp. (GM) on Thursday fleshed out the scale of its financial crisis, reporting a $9.6 billion loss for the fourth quarter and warning that auditors may question its viability.

The largest U.S. auto maker burned through $6.2 billion in cash during the October to December quarter and expects to use up another $14 billion for the whole year, as the once-profitable businesses in Asian and Latin America succumb to the industrywide slump in auto sales.

GM executives suggested the pricing environment was likely to improve after a difficult start to the year, with sales buoyed by the return of its finance arm to providing customer support.

The company said it is awaiting word on whether it will receive going concern status from auditors, with a determination expected in March.

Ray Young, chief financial officer, said the going concern status will depend largely on whether GM succeeds in getting more U.S. government aid.

He said the company's future remains in doubt because it is unclear whether GM can execute its restructuring goals of the company will receive adequate government aid.

"The impact of the credit crisis has started to spread to emerging markets," added Young on a conference call. "It's been a tough year. But when we sent out the viability plan last week we very much understood 2008 and we fully realize the world was going to be more of a challenge in the near term."

GM executives will meet U.S. Treasury officials later Thursday in pursuit of up to $16.6 billion in additional aid that the company said earlier this month was essential to avoid a bankruptcy filing. GM is seeking concessions from workers, bondholders and other parties to qualify for the federal funding, along with at least $6 billion from overseas governments.

Thursday's results, which fell short of Wall Street expectations, underscore the impact of deteriorating conditions around the globe that have driven once-profitable overseas operations into the red.

Revenue fell to $30.9 billion from $43.3 billion in the fourth quarter, and the company ended the year with $14 billion in liquidity compared with $16.2 billion as of Sept. 30.

GM's revenue is on track to sink further in the first quarter after the auto maker essentially stopped vehicle production in January to lower inventories.

Operating losses worsened in North America and Europe while its once-profitable Latin American and Asian businesses also suffered deficits.

Young said GM executives were in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to answer questions from Treasury officials on the auto maker's aid request. "These are not negotiations," he said. "We are there to respond to their request for information." He warned the first quarter cash burn was would be "quite significant," though the liquidity drain in 2009 is expected to be less than last year's.

The fourth-quarter loss compares with a $1.5 billion deficit a year earlier.

The reported net loss of $15.71 a share for the fourth quarter compares with a deficit of $2.70 in the same period last year.

GM last week said it could run out of money as soon as March without more cash from the U.S. and other governments.

The cash burn was less than the $6.9 billion in the three months to Sept. 30. The year-end cash position includes $4 billion of the $13.4 billion in U.S. federal loans GM received last year.

The results cap a year in which GM lost $30.9 billion, the second biggest loss the auto maker's 100-year history.

GM said Thursday it's awaiting word from auditors as to whether the company must be labeled a going concern in filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a judgment that casts doubt on the company's ability to survive. The determination is expected in March.

The company barely escaped a bankruptcy filing in 2008 after the government promised emergency loans. GM said it needs up to $16.4 billion more to survive a downturn that has U.S. auto sales tracking at lows unseen since the 1980s.

GM shares were flat at $2.55 in recent trading.

The latest results, excluding charges, came in well short of Wall Street expectations. GM's adjusted loss was $5.9 billion, compared with a $46 million deficit a year earlier.

GM has lost more than $80 billion since 2005 when Chief Executive Rick Wagoner began the race to cut costs, slim down operations and overhaul operations in North America.

On Thursday, Young said GM would reduce structural costs by another $4.5 billion in 2009, from $30.8 billion to $26.3 billion.

-By Sharon Terlep, Dow Jones Newswires; 248-204-5532; sharon.terlep@dowjones.com