Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 288		$ 315
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,524		1,321
Inventories	911	$ 864	869
Prepayments and other	340	$ 297	291
Total current assets	3,065		2,799
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	10		9
Goodwill	49		49
Intangibles, net	22		22
Deferred income taxes	206		204
Other	154		144
Total other assets	441		428
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	4,111		4,008
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,451)		(2,393)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,660		1,615
Total Assets	5,166		4,842	$ 4,642
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	64		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	1,908		1,705
Accrued taxes	43		45
Other	429		433
Total current liabilities	2,444		2,266
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,420		1,358
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	12		11
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	415		423
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	4,291		4,058
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	50		42	48	$ 40
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	765		696
Noncontrolling interests	60		46
Total equity	825		742	$ 691
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,166		4,842
Reclass and Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(589)		(648)
Inventories	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(589)		(648)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(2,763)		(2,647)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(24,464)		(23,877)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(27,227)		(26,524)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(27,816)		(27,172)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(470)		(556)
Accounts payable	(115)		(89)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(4)		(3)
Total current liabilities	(589)		(648)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(24,464)		(23,877)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	(25,053)		(24,525)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(2,763)		(2,647)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(2,763)		(2,647)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(27,816)		(27,172)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	5		7
Restricted cash			0
Receivables, net	465		402
Inventories	387		383
Prepayments and other	115		99
Total current assets	972		891
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,417		1,389
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	792		791
Long-term receivables, net	9		8
Goodwill	22		22
Intangibles, net	5		5
Deferred income taxes	162		161
Other	66		66
Total other assets	2,473		2,442
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,512		1,478
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(950)		(934)
Plant, property and equipment, net	562		544
Total Assets	4,007		3,877
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	316		408
Accounts payable	713		562
Accrued taxes	7		8
Other	202		203
Total current liabilities	1,238		1,181
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	694		632
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,092		1,093
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	290		296
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	3,314		3,202
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	693		675
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	693		675
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,007		3,877
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	283		308
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,648		1,567
Inventories	524		486
Prepayments and other	225		192
Total current assets	2,682		2,556
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	19,712		19,119
Long-term receivables, net	1		1
Goodwill	27		27
Intangibles, net	17		17
Deferred income taxes	44		43
Other	88		78
Total other assets	19,889		19,285
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,599		2,530
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,501)		(1,459)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,098		1,071
Total Assets	23,669		22,912
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	49		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	154		148
Accounts payable	1,310		1,232
Accrued taxes	36		37
Other	222		221
Total current liabilities	1,771		1,721
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	11		12
Long-term debt — affiliated	19,570		18,981
Deferred income taxes	12		11
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	125		127
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	21,489		20,852
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	50		42
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	2,070		1,972
Noncontrolling interests	60		46
Total equity	2,130		2,018
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	23,669		22,912
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	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	1,346		1,258
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	3,960		3,967
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes			0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	5,306		5,225
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,306		5,225
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	15		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	9		12
Total current liabilities	24		12
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	715		714
Long-term debt — affiliated	3,802		3,803
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	4,541		4,529
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	765		696
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	765		696
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ 5,306		$ 5,225