Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	$ 2,067	$ 1,920	$ 3,970	$ 3,832
Affiliated companies	0	0	0	0
Net sales and operating revenues	2,067	1,920	3,970	3,832
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	1,736	1,595	3,340	3,202
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Engineering, research, and development	33	28	68	66
Selling, general, and administrative	106	109	225	227
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	50	50	100	99
Costs and expenses	1,925	1,782	3,733	3,594
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	(1)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Other income (loss)	0	0	(1)	(3)
Total other income (expense)	(1)	(1)	(3)	(5)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	141	137	234	233
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	20	21	40	63
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	121	116	194	170
Income tax expense	47	21	59	39
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	0	0	0	0
Net income	74	95	135	131
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	11	8	18	14
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	63	87	117	117
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	45	49	77	108
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	904	897	1,756	1,787
Affiliated companies	92	45	171	96
Net sales and operating revenues	996	942	1,927	1,883
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	776	771	1,518	1,618
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Engineering, research, and development	14	12	29	28
Selling, general, and administrative	45	38	98	77
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	19	18	38	36
Costs and expenses	854	839	1,683	1,759
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0	0	0
Other income (loss)	34	43	33	46
Total other income (expense)	34	43	33	46
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	176	146	277	170
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	(1)	0	(1)	0
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	18	58	36	112
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	159	88	242	58
Income tax expense	40	5	46	7
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	2	29	(3)	97
Net income	121	112	193	148
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	121	112	193	148
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	126	102	193	145
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	1,163	1,023	2,214	2,045
Affiliated companies	141	145	291	297
Net sales and operating revenues	1,304	1,168	2,505	2,342
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	1,192	1,014	2,283	1,977
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Engineering, research, and development	19	16	39	38
Selling, general, and administrative	60	70	124	147
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	31	32	62	63
Costs and expenses	1,302	1,132	2,508	2,225
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	(1)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Other income (loss)	5	(4)	5	(10)
Total other income (expense)	4	(5)	3	(12)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	6	31	0	105
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	1	1	2	2
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	(18)	(23)	(37)	(42)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	23	53	35	145
Income tax expense	7	16	13	32
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	0	0	0	0
Net income	16	37	22	113
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	11	8	18	14
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	5	29	4	99
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	(18)	1	(36)	93
Tenneco Inc
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	0	0	0	0
Affiliated companies	0		0	0
Net sales and operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Engineering, research, and development	0	0	0	0
Selling, general, and administrative	1	1	3	3
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	1	1	3	3
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	(1)	(1)	(3)	(3)
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	20	20	39	61
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	(35)	1	(70)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	(21)	14	(43)	6
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	84	73	160	111
Net income	63	87	117	117
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	63	87	117	117
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	63	87	117	117
Reclass & Elims
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	0	0	0	0
Affiliated companies	(233)	(190)	(462)	(393)
Net sales and operating revenues	(233)	(190)	(462)	(393)
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	(232)	(190)	(461)	(393)
Goodwill impairment charge			0	0
Engineering, research, and development	0	0	0	0
Selling, general, and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	(232)	(190)	(461)	(393)
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0	0	0
Other income (loss)	(39)	(39)	(39)	(39)
Total other income (expense)	(39)	(39)	(39)	(39)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	(40)	(39)	(40)	(39)
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	0	0	0	0
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	(40)	(39)	(40)	(39)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	(86)	(102)	(157)	(208)
Net income	(126)	(141)	(197)	(247)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	(126)	(141)	(197)	(247)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	$ (126)	$ (141)	$ (197)	$ (247)