Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 260	$ 267	$ 275	$ 235	$ 233	$ 223
Restricted cash	5		5
Receivables, net	1,358		1,060
Inventories	761		656
Deferred income taxes	72		71
Prepayments and other	273		223
Total current assets	2,729		2,290
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	14		14
Goodwill	68		69
Intangibles, net	28		30
Deferred income taxes	121		125
Other	126		127
Total other assets	357		365
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,617		3,498
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,386)		(2,323)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,231		1,175
Total Assets	4,317		3,830	3,939
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	91		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Trade payables	1,494		1,359
Accrued taxes	41		40
Other	383		356
Total current liabilities	2,009		1,838
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,206		1,019
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	29		28
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	426		453
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	3,670		3,338
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	22		20
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	589		433
Noncontrolling interests	36		39
Total equity	625		472	380
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,317		3,830
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	2	6	1	4	4
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	569		387
Inventories	321		279
Deferred income taxes	88		87
Prepayments and other	48		35
Total current assets	1,026		794
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	998		944
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	983		1,026
Long-term receivables, net	12		12
Goodwill	21		22
Intangibles, net	12		13
Deferred income taxes	60		72
Other	44		44
Total other assets	2,130		2,133
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,202		1,173
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(826)		(807)
Plant, property and equipment, net	376		366
Total Assets	3,532		3,293
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	205		247
Trade payables	541		521
Accrued taxes	(12)		9
Other	144		128
Total current liabilities	878		905
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,831		1,700
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	342		357
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	3,051		2,962
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	481		331
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	481		331
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,532		3,293
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	260	265	269	234	229	219
Restricted cash	5		5
Receivables, net	1,505		1,306
Inventories	440		377
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Prepayments and other	225		188
Total current assets	2,435		2,145
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	9,010		7,320
Long-term receivables, net	2		2
Goodwill	47		47
Intangibles, net	16		17
Deferred income taxes	9		9
Other	61		60
Total other assets	9,145		7,455
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,415		2,325
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,560)		(1,516)
Plant, property and equipment, net	855		809
Total Assets	12,435		10,409
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	76		68
Short-term debt — affiliated	295		176
Trade payables	1,109		1,011
Accrued taxes	25		31
Other	303		285
Total current liabilities	1,808		1,571
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	53		8
Long-term debt — affiliated	8,978		7,338
Deferred income taxes	29		28
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	81		92
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	10,949		9,037
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	22		20
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,428		1,313
Noncontrolling interests	36		39
Total equity	1,464		1,352
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	12,435		10,409
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		16
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	7		7
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	7		23
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	907		696
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,951		4,826
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	52		44
Other	21		23
Total other assets	5,931		5,589
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,938		5,612
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	15		15
Short-term debt — affiliated	10		10
Trade payables	0		0
Accrued taxes	28		0
Other	9		9
Total current liabilities	62		34
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,153		1,011
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,135		4,134
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	(1)		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	5,349		5,179
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	589		433
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	589		433
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,938		5,612
Reclass & Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(716)		(649)
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(23)		(23)
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(739)		(672)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(1,905)		(1,640)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(14,944)		(13,172)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(16,849)		(14,812)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(17,588)		(15,484)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(510)		(433)
Trade payables	(156)		(173)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(73)		(66)
Total current liabilities	(739)		(672)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(14,944)		(13,172)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	4		4
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	(15,679)		(13,840)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(1,909)		(1,644)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(1,909)		(1,644)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (17,588)		$ (15,484)