Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 235	$ 233	$ 223	$ 181	$ 193	$ 214
Restricted cash	5		0
Receivables, net	1,218		986
Inventories	669		667
Deferred income taxes	72		72
Prepayments and other	248		176
Total current assets	2,447		2,124
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	8		4
Goodwill	70		72
Intangibles, net	32		35
Deferred income taxes	151		116
Other	121		135
Total other assets	382		362
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,333		3,365
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,223)		(2,243)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,110		1,122
Total Assets	3,939		3,608	3,627
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	120		113
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Trade payables	1,339		1,186
Accrued taxes	36		50
Other	299		300
Total current liabilities	1,794		1,649
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,158		1,067
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	26		27
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	568		559
Total liabilities	3,546		3,302
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	13		15
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	339		246
Noncontrolling interests	41		45
Total equity	380		291	133
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,939		3,608
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	4	4	0	3	1
Restricted cash	0
Receivables, net	488		341
Inventories	273		278
Deferred income taxes	90		91
Prepayments and other	39		28
Total current assets	891		742
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	518		551
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	960		957
Long-term receivables, net	6		2
Goodwill	21		21
Intangibles, net	15		18
Deferred income taxes	116		55
Other	48		31
Total other assets	1,684		1,635
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,129		1,098
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(781)		(763)
Plant, property and equipment, net	348		335
Total Assets	2,923		2,712
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	62		250
Trade payables	522		423
Accrued taxes	12		16
Other	120		135
Total current liabilities	716		824
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,515		1,447
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	467		438
Total liabilities	2,698		2,709
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	225		3
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	225		3
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	2,923		2,712
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	234	229	219	181	190	213
Restricted cash	5
Receivables, net	1,227		1,268
Inventories	396		389
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Prepayments and other	209		148
Total current assets	2,071		2,024
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	5,768		4,495
Long-term receivables, net	2		2
Goodwill	48		51
Intangibles, net	17		17
Deferred income taxes	11		1
Other	48		75
Total other assets	5,894		4,641
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,204		2,267
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,442)		(1,480)
Plant, property and equipment, net	762		787
Total Assets	8,727		7,452
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	120		112
Short-term debt — affiliated	262		173
Trade payables	975		954
Accrued taxes	23		34
Other	230		210
Total current liabilities	1,610		1,483
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	8		8
Long-term debt — affiliated	5,806		4,533
Deferred income taxes	26		27
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	98		118
Total liabilities	7,548		6,169
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	13		15
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,125		1,223
Noncontrolling interests	41		45
Total equity	1,166		1,268
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	8,727		7,452
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0
Receivables, net	30		30
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	6		6
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	36		36
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	870		717
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,660		4,594
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	24		60
Other	26		29
Total other assets	5,580		5,400
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,616		5,436
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		1
Short-term debt — affiliated	9		10
Trade payables	0		0
Accrued taxes	1		0
Other	9		9
Total current liabilities	19		20
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,150		1,059
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,067		4,066
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	5,236		5,145
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	380		291
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	380		291
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,616		5,436
Reclass & Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0
Receivables, net	(527)		(653)
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(24)		(25)
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(551)		(678)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(1,388)		(1,268)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(11,388)		(10,046)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	1		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	(1)		0
Total other assets	(12,776)		(11,314)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(13,327)		(11,992)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(333)		(433)
Trade payables	(158)		(191)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(60)		(54)
Total current liabilities	(551)		(678)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(11,388)		(10,046)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	3		3
Total liabilities	(11,936)		(10,721)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(1,391)		(1,271)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(1,391)		(1,271)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (13,327)		$ (11,992)