Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	$ 1,946	$ 1,816	$ 3,877	$ 3,586
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	27	171	148	295
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	7	137	113	243
Income tax (benefit) expense	(8)	39	25	73
Net income	15	98	88	170
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	18	16	32	31
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	$ (3)	$ 82	$ 56	$ 139
Basic earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ 1.44	$ 1.05	$ 2.44
Diluted earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ (0.05)	$ 1.43	$ 1.05	$ 2.42
As Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)		$ 1,810		$ 3,580
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests		177		301
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests		143		249
Income tax (benefit) expense		40		74
Net income		103		175
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		17		32
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.		$ 86		$ 143
Basic earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)		$ 1.51		$ 2.50
Diluted earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)		$ 1.49		$ 2.49
Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)		$ 6		$ 6
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests		(6)		(6)
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests		(6)		(6)
Income tax (benefit) expense		(1)		(1)
Net income		(5)		(5)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1)		(1)
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.		$ (4)		$ (4)
Basic earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)		$ (0.07)		$ (0.06)
Diluted earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)		$ (0.06)		$ (0.07)