Common Stock - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 1999	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2015	Mar. 12, 2002	May 15, 2013	May 13, 2009
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number				1,454,003	2,073,185	2,086,770	2,119,003		1,454,003	1,983,573
Authorized common stock available for issuance under the plan				135,000,000					135,000,000
Common stock, par value				$ 0.01					$ 0.01
Common stock, shares issued				64,454,248					64,454,248	63,714,728
Treasury stock shares				3,244,692					3,244,692	2,844,692	2,294,692			1,694,692
Term for stock options			3 years						5 years 0 months 0 days	4 years 10 months 24 days	4 years 8 months 12 days
Restriction period for restricted common stock			3 years
Decrease in basic earnings per share									$ (0.06)	$ (0.10)
Increase Decrease In Earnings Per Share Diluted										$ (0.09)	$ (0.08)
Decrease in basic and diluted earnings per share											$ (0.09)
Share based compensation									$ 13	$ 13	$ 11
Weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted									$ 26.48	$ 19.91	$ 17.49
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number				971,689					971,689
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value				28					28
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price				$ 25.37					$ 25.37
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term									4 years 6 months 0 days
Total Intrinsic value of options exercised				24	0	1	1		30	19	10
Total fair value of shares vested									6	5	4
Weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted stock granted									$ 55.26	$ 36.40	$ 30.06
Total fair value of restricted shares vested									8	6	5
Number of shares authorized to be repurchased		550,000										400,000
Stock repurchased during period								600,000
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock								18	22	27	18
2012 authorized outstanding common stock for repurchase over a 12 month period													600,000
Average price of share repurchase program								$ 29.22
Stock repurchased during the period	22	27
Treasury stock average cost per share	$ 56.06	$ 49.33
Future Stock Repurchases Program
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized to be repurchased															350,000,000
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Restriction period for restricted common stock									3 years
Stock Option
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Compensation expense related to nonqualified stock options									3	6	5
Unrecognized compensation costs				5					5
Unrecognized compensation costs, weighted average period									0 years 10 months 24 days
Cash received from stock option exercises									10	15	7
Unrecorded Tax Benefit From Stock Options Exercised									12	6	10
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit Realized from Exercise of Stock Options									26
Restricted stock, restricted stock units, long term performance units, SARs
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation costs				14					14
Unrecognized compensation costs, weighted average period									1 year 7 months 6 days
Share based compensation									13	17	16
Restricted Stock
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation costs				5					5
Unrecognized compensation costs, weighted average period									1 year 8 months 12 days
Weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted stock granted				$ 0.00	$ 67.02	$ 66.96	$ 54.90
Supplemental Stock Ownership Plan
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Authorized treasury shares available for purchase under the supplemental stock ownership plan			1,100,000
2002 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Authorized common stock available for issuance under the plan																4,000,000
2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Authorized common stock available for issuance under the plan																	3,500,000	2,300,000
Count of each share from a stock option award against shares available for issuance under the plan																		1
Count of each share from a full value award against shares available for issuance under the plan																	1.49	1.25
Shares of common stock remain authorized for delivery				3,610,571					3,610,571
United States | Stock Option
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Cash received from stock option exercises										24
United States | Employee Stock Option [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit Realized from Exercise of Stock Options									14
2013 [Domain]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Treasury stock shares											2,294,692
2014 [Domain]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Treasury stock shares										2,844,692
Less - Common Stock Held as Treasury Stock, at Cost
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock repurchased during period									400,000	550,000	600,000
Stock repurchased during the period									$ 22	$ 27	$ 18
Less - Common Stock Held as Treasury Stock, at Cost | Open Market [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock repurchased during period	400,000	450,000
Less - Common Stock Held as Treasury Stock, at Cost | Tenneco Retirement Plan for Salaried Employees [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock repurchased during period		100,000
Maximum
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Term for stock options			20 years
Minimum
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Term for stock options			7 years
2012 Through 2014 [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Restriction period for restricted common stock									3 years
2013 Through 2015 [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Restriction period for restricted common stock									3 years
2014 Through 2016 [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Restriction period for restricted common stock									3 years