CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Adjustment	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Accumulated Deficit	Treasury Stock	Total Tenneco Inc. Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	Noncontrolling Interests	Total Equity	Total Equity Adjustment	[1]
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017				$ 3,112	$ (538)	$ (1,009)	$ (930)	$ 636	$ 46	$ 682	$ 0
Balance at beginning of period (ASU 2016-16) at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 1
Balance at beginning of period (ASU 2014-09) at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 1
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 111					55		55	27	82
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(134)				(132)			(132)	0	(132)
Cash flow hedges	0
Defined benefit plans	(22)				(22)			(22)		(22)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(45)							(99)	27	(72)
Common stock issued				1,236				1,236		1,236
Acquisition of additional ownership interest in consolidated affiliates									143	143
Stock-based compensation, net				12				12		12
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	0
Cash dividends						(59)		(59)		(59)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	0								(26)	(26)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest transaction with owner	0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			1
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2018				4,360	(692)	(1,013)	(930)	1,726	190	1,916
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	(220)					(334)		(334)	29	(305)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	16				26			26	0	26
Cash flow hedges	0
Defined benefit plans	(45)				(45)			(45)		(45)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(249)							(353)	29	(324)
Acquisition of additional ownership interest in consolidated affiliates				(4)				(4)	(6)	(10)
Stock-based compensation, net				23				23		23
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	(8)								(2)	(2)
Cash dividends						(20)		(20)		(20)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	0								(17)	(17)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest transaction with owner	53							53		53
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			1
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,619			4,432	(711)	(1,367)	(930)	1,425	194	1,619
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	(1,460)					(1,521)		(1,521)	29	(1,492)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(12)				(26)			(26)	11	(15)
Cash flow hedges	4				4			4		4
Defined benefit plans	(11)				(11)			(11)		(11)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(1,479)							(1,554)	40	(1,514)
Stock-based compensation, net				17				17		17
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	0
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	(82)								(16)	(16)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest to permanent equity									82	82
Redeemable noncontrolling interest transaction with owner	(53)			(7)				(7)		(7)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			1
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 181			$ 4,442	$ (744)	$ (2,888)	$ (930)	$ (119)	$ 300	$ 181

[1] The cumulative effect of the adoption of ASU 2016-16 was an increase to accumulated deficit of $1 million, and the cumulative effect of the adoption of ASC 606 was a decrease to accumulated deficit of $1 million.