CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Tenneco Inc. Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests	Total Equity
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018			$ (930)	$ 4,360	$ (1,013)	$ (692)	$ 1,726	$ 190	$ 1,916
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					(117)		(117)	7	(110)
Foreign currency translation adjustments						29	29	4	33
Derivatives						4	4		4
Defined benefit plans						1	1		1
Comprehensive income (loss)							(83)	11	(72)
Stock-based compensation, net				5			5		5
Cash dividends declared					(20)		(20)		(20)
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment								(1)	(1)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests								(1)	(1)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2019			(930)	4,365	(1,150)	(658)	1,628	199	1,827
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018			(930)	4,360	(1,013)	(692)	1,726	190	1,916
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ (21)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(80)
Derivatives	1
Defined benefit plans	2
Comprehensive income (loss)	(59)
Acquisition and other	17
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	(8)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	0
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019			(930)	4,377	(1,054)	(752)	1,642	195	1,837
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2019			(930)	4,365	(1,150)	(658)	1,628	199	1,827
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					26		26	9	35
Foreign currency translation adjustments						(17)	(17)		(17)
Derivatives						(3)	(3)		(3)
Defined benefit plans						(2)	(2)		(2)
Comprehensive income (loss)							4	9	13
Stock-based compensation, net				6			6		6
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests								(2)	(2)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2019			(930)	4,371	(1,124)	(680)	1,638	206	1,844
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	70				70		70	4	74
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(97)					(75)	(75)	(11)	(86)
Derivatives	0
Defined benefit plans	3					3	3		3
Comprehensive income (loss)	(16)						(2)	(7)	(9)
Acquisition and other								(3)	(3)
Stock-based compensation, net				6			6		6
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment								(1)	(1)
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019			(930)	4,377	(1,054)	(752)	1,642	195	1,837
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,619		(930)	4,432	(1,367)	(711)	1,425	194	1,619
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					(839)		(839)	2	(837)
Foreign currency translation adjustments						(199)	(199)	(13)	(212)
Derivatives						(2)	(2)		(2)
Defined benefit plans						4	4		4
Comprehensive income (loss)							(1,036)	(11)	(1,047)
Stock-based compensation, net				2			2		2
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest to permanent equity								82	82
Redeemable noncontrolling interest transaction with owner				(7)			(7)		(7)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2020			(930)	4,427	(2,206)	(908)	384	265	649
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,619		(930)	4,432	(1,367)	(711)	1,425	194	1,619
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(1,688)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(134)
Derivatives	3
Defined benefit plans	(15)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(1,792)
Acquisition and other	0
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	0
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	(82)
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	(106)		(930)	4,437	(3,055)	(854)	(401)	295	(106)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		1
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020			(930)	4,427	(2,206)	(908)	384	265	649
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					(350)		(350)	6	(344)
Foreign currency translation adjustments						35	35	4	39
Derivatives						4	4		4
Defined benefit plans						(5)	(5)		(5)
Comprehensive income (loss)							(316)	10	(306)
Stock-based compensation, net				6			6		6
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020			(930)	4,433	(2,556)	(874)	74	275	349
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(499)				(499)		(499)	12	(487)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	43					33	33	8	41
Derivatives	1					1	1		1
Defined benefit plans	(14)					(14)	(14)		(14)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(450)						(479)	20	(459)
Stock-based compensation, net				4			4		4
Ending balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	$ (106)		$ (930)	$ 4,437	$ (3,055)	$ (854)	$ (401)	$ 295	$ (106)