Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions	Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 161	[1]	$ 199	$ 233	$ 146	[1]	$ 193	$ 167
Receivables, net	1,136			826
Inventories	626			547
Deferred income taxes	42			38
Prepayments and other	177			146
Total current assets	2,142			1,790
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0			0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0			0
Long-term receivables, net	12			9
Goodwill	91			89
Intangibles, net	34			32
Deferred income taxes	92			92
Other	104			105
Total other assets	333			327
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,282			3,109
Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,199)			(2,059)
Total plant, property, and equipment, net	1,083			1,050
Total assets	3,558			3,167	2,980
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt - non-affiliated	67			63
Short-term debt - affiliated	0			0
Trade payables	1,208			1,048
Accrued taxes	55			51
Other	340			306
Total current liabilities	1,670			1,468
Long-term debt - non-affiliated	1,227			1,160
Long-term debt - affiliated	0			0
Deferred income taxes	58			56
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	418			436
Commitments and Contingencies
Total liabilities	3,373			3,120
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	10			12
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders' equity	140			(4)
Noncontrolling interests	35			39
Total equity	175			35	(57)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,558			3,167
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		2	0	2			20
Receivables, net	512			402
Inventories	233			221
Deferred income taxes	73			103
Prepayments and other	28			35
Total current assets	846			761
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	495			391
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,149			4,119
Long-term receivables, net	1			1
Goodwill	22			22
Intangibles, net	14			14
Deferred income taxes	41			37
Other	25			26
Total other assets	4,747			4,610
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	998			997
Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(723)			(713)
Total plant, property, and equipment, net	275			284
Total assets	5,868			5,655
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt - non-affiliated	0			0
Short-term debt - affiliated	219			214
Trade payables	445			367
Accrued taxes	27			20
Other	132			130
Total current liabilities	823			731
Long-term debt - non-affiliated	0			0
Long-term debt - affiliated	4,649			4,583
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	332			347
Commitments and Contingencies
Total liabilities	5,804			5,661
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders' equity	64			(6)
Noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total equity	64			(6)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,868			5,655
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	161		197	233	144		193	147
Receivables, net	1,374			1,106
Inventories	393			326
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Prepayments and other	149			111
Total current assets	2,077			1,776
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0			0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	963			788
Long-term receivables, net	11			8
Goodwill	69			67
Intangibles, net	20			18
Deferred income taxes	24			21
Other	48			46
Total other assets	1,135			948
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,284			2,112
Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,476)			(1,346)
Total plant, property, and equipment, net	808			766
Total assets	4,020			3,490
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt - non-affiliated	66			62
Short-term debt - affiliated	394			371
Trade payables	873			773
Accrued taxes	28			31
Other	238			213
Total current liabilities	1,599			1,450
Long-term debt - non-affiliated	16			11
Long-term debt - affiliated	990			768
Deferred income taxes	58			56
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	82			85
Commitments and Contingencies
Total liabilities	2,745			2,370
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	10			12
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders' equity	1,230			1,069
Noncontrolling interests	35			39
Total equity	1,265			1,108
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,020			3,490
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0
Receivables, net	24			24
Inventories	0			0
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Prepayments and other	0			0
Total current assets	24			24
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	830			707
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	5,950			5,853
Long-term receivables, net	0			0
Goodwill	0			0
Intangibles, net	0			0
Deferred income taxes	27			34
Other	31			33
Total other assets	6,838			6,627
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0			0
Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0			0
Total plant, property, and equipment, net	0			0
Total assets	6,862			6,651
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt - non-affiliated	1			1
Short-term debt - affiliated	10			10
Trade payables	1			0
Accrued taxes	0			0
Other	41			47
Total current liabilities	53			58
Long-term debt - non-affiliated	1,211			1,149
Long-term debt - affiliated	5,423			5,409
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0			0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total liabilities	6,687			6,616
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders' equity	175			35
Noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total equity	175			35
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	6,862			6,651
Reclass & Elims [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0
Receivables, net	(774)			(706)
Inventories	0			0
Deferred income taxes	(31)			(65)
Prepayments and other	0			0
Total current assets	(805)			(771)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(1,325)			(1,098)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(11,062)			(10,760)
Long-term receivables, net	0			0
Goodwill	0			0
Intangibles, net	0			0
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Other	0			0
Total other assets	(12,387)			(11,858)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0			0
Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0			0
Total plant, property, and equipment, net	0			0
Total assets	(13,192)			(12,629)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt - non-affiliated	0			0
Short-term debt - affiliated	(623)			(595)
Trade payables	(111)			(92)
Accrued taxes	0			0
Other	(71)			(84)
Total current liabilities	(805)			(771)
Long-term debt - non-affiliated	0			0
Long-term debt - affiliated	(11,062)			(10,760)
Deferred income taxes	0			0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	4			4
Commitments and Contingencies
Total liabilities	(11,863)			(11,527)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders' equity	(1,329)			(1,102)
Noncontrolling interests	0			0
Total equity	(1,329)			(1,102)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (13,192)			$ (12,629)

[1] Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase.