Long-Term Debt, Short-Term Debt and Financing Arrangements (Details Textual) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended															12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 North America [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 North America [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Europe [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Europe [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 8 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 8 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolver borrowing due 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Revolver borrowing due 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Debentures due 2012 through 2025 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Debentures due 2012 through 2025 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Customer Notes due 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Customer Notes due 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Tenneco Inc. tranche B-1 letter of credit/revolving loan agreement [Member]	Jan. 07, 2011 8 5/8% Senior Subordinated [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 7 3/4 percent senior notes due August 15, 2018 [Member]	Feb. 14, 2011 7 3/4 percent senior notes due August 15, 2018 [Member]	Aug. 03, 2010 7 3/4 percent senior notes due August 15, 2018 [Member]	Dec. 23, 2010 6 7/8 percent senior notes due December 23, 2020 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 10 1/4 percent senior secured notes due in 2013 [Member]	Sep. 02, 2010 10 1/4 percent senior secured notes due in 2013 [Member]	Aug. 03, 2010 10 1/4 percent senior secured notes due in 2013 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 8 1/8 percent senior notes due November 15, 2015 [Member]	Jan. 07, 2011 8 5/8 percent senior notes due November 16, 2014 [Member]	Dec. 09, 2010 8 5/8 percent senior notes due November 16, 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 8 5/8 percent senior subordinated notes due November 15, 2014 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 8 5/8 percent senior subordinated notes due November 15, 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 6 7/8 percent senior notes due Dec 15, 2020 [Member]	Mar. 14, 2011 6 7/8 percent senior notes due Dec 15, 2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]	Jun. 03, 2010 Term Loan A Facility, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility Matures March 16, 2012 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving credit facility, matures May 31, 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Tranche B One Letter of Credit and Revolving Loan Facilities, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan B Facility, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Term Loan B Facility, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan B and Revolving Credit Facility, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolver borrowing 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Revolver borrowing 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Letter of Credit, Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Term Loans Average Effective Interest Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Average Effective Interest Rate for Debenture [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Average Effective Interest Rate for Debenture [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Average Effective Interest Rate for Customer Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Average Effective Interest Rate for Customer Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Average Effective Interest Rate for Other Subsidiary Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Average Effective Interest Rate for Other Subsidiary Notes [Member]
Long Term Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt instrument average effective interest rate																																							5.10%			5.30%	5.40%		4.90%	8.40%	8.40%	8.00%	8.00%	1.30%	3.00%
Repayment of term loan A, senior credit facility																																		$ 128
Final principal repayment due June 3, 2016																																						141
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity																																752			622	556	130	148
Line of credit facility, revolver, expiration of commitments matures in March 16, 2012																																			66
Senior notes rate								8.625%										7.75%		7.75%				10.25%	8.125%					6.875%
Amount of redemption of long term debt																	20
Maturities and sinking fund requirement applicable to long term debt 2012	4
Maturities and sinking fund requirement applicable to long term debt 2013	5
Maturities and sinking fund requirement applicable to long term debt 2014	27
Maturities and sinking fund requirement applicable to long term debt 2015	253
Maturities and sinking fund requirement applicable to long term debt 2016	142
Maximum percentage of senior notes that can be redeemed with the proceeds of certain equity offerings completed before Dec 15, 2013																																	35.00%
Maximum percentage of senior notes that can be redeemed with the proceeds of certain equity offerings completed before Aug 13, 2013																		35.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Maturity Date																																				May, 2014	March, 2014	June, 2016
Unsecured debt								0	20			1	1	3	4			225							250					500											78
Secured debt										24	0					24																						148
Debt instrument issued amount																				225	500
Expenses related to redemption																						5						20	1
Unused Borrowing Capacity	685															106																					670
Outstanding borrowings in senior secured credit facility																																					24
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding																0																												58
Line of credit facility interest rate description																																either (i) LIBOR plus a margin as set forth in the table below; or (ii) a rate consisting of the greater of the JPMorgan Chase prime rate, the Federal Funds rate plus 50 basis points or the Eurodollar Rate plus 100 basis points					either (i) Libor plus a margin of 500 basis points, or (ii) a rate consisting of the greater of (a) the JPMorgan Chase prime rate plus a margin of 400 basis points, (b) the Federal Funds rate plus 50 basis points plus a margin of 400 basis points, and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 100 basis points plus a margin of 400 basis points.			either (i) LIBOR plus a margin of 475 and 450 basis points, respectively, or (ii) a rate consisting of the greater of (a) the JPMorgan Chase prime rate plus a margin of 375 and 350 basis points, respectively, (b) the Federal Funds rate plus 50 basis points plus a margin of 375 and 350 basis points, respectively, and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 100 basis points plus a margin of 375 and 350 basis points, respectively
Basis Point reduction in interest rate on borrowings if consolidated net leverage ratio is less than 2.25																																								0.25%
Additional reduction in interest rate on borrowings if consolidated net leverage ratio is less than 2.0																																								0.25%
Consolidated net leverage ratio	1.88	2.24
Debt instrument redemption price as percentage of principal amount																							101.708%			102.875%
Debt instrument redemption price as percentage of principal amount expires December 22, 2010																											103.25%
Debt instrument redemption price as a percentage of principal amount expires January 6, 2011																											100.25%
Amount of debt offered for exchange by the company																			225	225							500				500
Amount of debt tendered for exchange by the holders																			225							20					500
North American Program Maximum Facility Size				110
Additional financing from second priority facility				40
Outstanding third party investments in securitized accounts receivable bank program						121	91
Bank facility cancellation notification						90 days prior to renewal and in some cases upon 15 days or less.
Interest expense recognized from securitization of receivables				3	4
Debt instrument maturity date																		Aug. 15, 2018												Dec. 15, 2020
Debt instruments maturity year																						2013
Interest coverage ratio for future quarters	2.75
Maximum net leverage ration for Term Loan B and extending lenders to be considered to reduce the margin																																								2.00
Long Term Debt Additional (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum percentage of stock of certain first-tier foreign subsidiaries pledged to secure senior credit facility	66.00%
Interest return on the funds deposited with the administrative agent by the lenders	LIBOR less 25 basis points
Senior notes indentures minimum required fixed charge coverage ratio prior to incurring certain types of indebtedness	greater than 2
Loss on sale of trade accounts receivable	$ 5	$ 3	$ 9
Discount rate on sale of securitized receivables	3.00%	4.00%	5.00%
Leverage ratio for future quarters	3.50
Reduction in basis points for extending lenders in March 2012	0.25%