Acquisitions (Details Textual) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2010 Tenneco Tongtai Dalian Exhaust System Company [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Tenneco Automotive Thailand Limited [Member]
Acquisitions (Textual) [Abstract]
Additional equity interest purchased in joint venture	20.00%	25.00%
Payment to acquire additional interest in joint venture	$ 15	$ 4
Increase in equity ownership percentage in joint venture	80 percent from 60 percent	100 percent from 75 percent
Equity ownership percentage before additional acquisition	60.00%	75.00%
Equity ownership percentage after additional acquisition	80.00%	100.00%

The cash outflow associated with the investment in or advances to an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3213-108585

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration