CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues
Net sales and operating revenues	$ 4,143	$ 4,319	$ 4,504	$ 4,484	$ 4,278	$ 2,371	$ 2,533	$ 2,581	$ 17,450	$ 11,763	$ 9,274
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	3,581	3,660	3,801	3,870	3,673	2,002	2,134	2,193	14,912	10,002	7,771
Selling, general, and administrative									1,138	752	632
Depreciation and amortization									673	345	226
Engineering, research, and development									324	200	158
Restructuring charges and asset impairments									126	117	47
Goodwill and intangible impairment charge									241	3	11
Costs and expenses									17,414	11,419	8,845
Other income (expense)
Non-service pension and postretirement benefit (costs) credits									(11)	(20)	(16)
Equity in earnings (losses) of nonconsolidated affiliates, net of tax									43	18	(1)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	(10)	(1)
Other income (expense), net									53	(10)	2
Total other expense (income)									85	(22)	(16)
Earnings (loss) before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	(144)	148	141	(24)	(23)	112	111	122	121	322	413
Interest expense									(322)	(148)	(77)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests and equity in net income from affiliated companies									(201)	174	336
Income tax (expense) benefit									(19)	(63)	(71)
Net income (loss)									(220)	111	265
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									114	56	67
Net income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	$ (313)	$ 70	$ 26	$ (117)	$ (109)	$ 57	$ 47	$ 60	$ (334)	$ 55	$ 198
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ (3.87)	$ 0.87	$ 0.32	$ (1.44)	$ (1.35)	$ 1.11	$ 0.92	$ 1.17	$ (4.12)	$ 0.93	$ 3.75
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)									80,904,060	58,625,087	52,796,184
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ (3.87)	$ 0.87	$ 0.32	$ (1.44)	$ (1.35)	$ 1.11	$ 0.92	$ 1.17	$ (4.12)	$ 0.93	$ 3.73
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)									80,904,060	58,758,732	53,026,911