Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 333	$ 341	$ 347	$ 311	$ 374	$ 287
Restricted cash	2		2
Receivables, net	1,501		1,294
Inventories	815		730
Prepayments and other	311		229
Total current assets	2,962		2,602
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	9		9
Goodwill	59		57
Intangibles, net	18		19
Deferred income taxes	244		199
Other	110		103
Total other assets	440		387
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,821		3,548
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,342)		(2,191)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,479		1,357
Total Assets	4,881		4,346	4,279
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	107		90
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	1,608		1,501
Accrued taxes	53		39
Other	526		343
Total current liabilities	2,294		1,973
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,490		1,294
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	7		7
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	408		412
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	4,199		3,686
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	25		40	26		42
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	615		573
Noncontrolling interests	42		47
Total equity	657		620	580
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,881		4,346
Reclass and Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(734)		(504)
Inventories	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(734)		(504)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(2,586)		(2,420)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(22,959)		(22,249)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(25,545)		(24,669)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(26,279)		(25,173)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(534)		(354)
Accounts payable	(118)		(88)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(82)		(62)
Total current liabilities	(734)		(504)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(22,959)		(22,249)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	(23,693)		(22,753)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(2,586)		(2,420)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(2,586)		(2,420)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(26,279)		(25,173)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4	6	9	2	4	2
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	692		386
Inventories	369		361
Prepayments and other	84		62
Total current assets	1,149		818
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,220		1,213
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	961		939
Long-term receivables, net	8		9
Goodwill	22		22
Intangibles, net	6		7
Deferred income taxes	88		47
Other	60		46
Total other assets	2,365		2,283
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,431		1,371
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(917)		(895)
Plant, property and equipment, net	514		476
Total Assets	4,028		3,577
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	382		167
Accounts payable	622		562
Accrued taxes	61		4
Other	277		147
Total current liabilities	1,342		880
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	764		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	784		1,543
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	274		297
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	3,164		2,720
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	864		857
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	864		857
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,028		3,577
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	329	335	338	309	370	285
Restricted cash	2		2
Receivables, net	1,543		1,412
Inventories	446		369
Prepayments and other	227		167
Total current assets	2,547		2,288
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	17,895		16,529
Long-term receivables, net	1		0
Goodwill	37		35
Intangibles, net	12		12
Deferred income taxes	28		23
Other	50		49
Total other assets	18,023		16,648
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,390		2,177
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,425)		(1,296)
Plant, property and equipment, net	965		881
Total Assets	21,535		19,817
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	92		75
Short-term debt — affiliated	152		187
Accounts payable	1,104		1,027
Accrued taxes	(8)		35
Other	319		243
Total current liabilities	1,659		1,567
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	12		12
Long-term debt — affiliated	17,934		16,466
Deferred income taxes	7		7
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	134		115
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	19,746		18,167
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	25		40
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,722		1,563
Noncontrolling interests	42		47
Total equity	1,764		1,610
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	21,535		19,817
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	0		0
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,366		1,207
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,103		4,781
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	128		129
Other	0		8
Total other assets	5,597		6,125
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,597		6,125
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	15		15
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	12		15
Total current liabilities	27		30
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	714		1,282
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,241		4,240
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	4,982		5,552
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	615		573
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	615		573
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ 5,597		$ 6,125