8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934




Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):    MARCH 12, 2003


                             TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)




          DELAWARE                     1-12387                 76-0515284
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)                                    Identification No.)




   500 NORTH FIELD DRIVE, LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS              60045
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)              (Zip Code)





Registrant's telephone number, including area code:    (847) 482-5000













ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

            On March 12, 2003, the Company issued a press release announcing
that the Company's Board of Directors had elected Charles W. Cramb to the Board.
This press release, filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, is
incorporated herein by this reference.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.


Exhibit No.        Description
99.1               Press release dated March 12, 2003












                                   SIGNATURES


                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                               TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE INC.


Date:    March 12, 2003        By:  /s/ MARK A. McCOLLUM
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                                Mark A. McCollum
                               Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer






EXHIBIT INDEX

     Exhibit  Description
     Number

     99.1     Press Release dated March 12, 2003, announcing that Tenneco
              Automotive Inc. has elected Charles W. Cramb as a new
              director.

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


news release                                           [TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE LOGO]



          For Immediate Release


          Contacts:          Jane Ostrander
                             Media Relations
                             847 482-5607
                             jane.ostrander@tenneco-automotive.com

                             Leslie Hunziker
                             Investor Relations
                             847 482-5042
                             leslie.hunziker@tenneco-automotive.com


           TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE ELECTS CHARLES W. CRAMB AS NEW DIRECTOR

LAKE FOREST, Ill - March 12, 2003 - Tenneco Automotive announced that Charles W.
Cramb has been elected to the company's board of directors. Charles Cramb has
been senior vice president and chief financial officer of the Gillette Company,
a $9 billion global manufacturer and marketer of consumer products, since 1997.
He joined Gillette in 1970.

"We are extremely pleased to have the outstanding business experience and strong
financial background of Charles Cramb on our board," said Mark Frissora, Tenneco
Automotive chairman and CEO. "We look forward to his leadership and insight as
we continue to implement our strategic plan for growing our global
transportation business."

Mr. Cramb served as corporate vice president and corporate controller for
Gillette from 1995 to 1997. Prior to that, he held a series of senior financial
management positions in both Gillette's United States and European operations.




                                     -More-

                                      -2-



Mr. Cramb is director and vice chairman of the Private Sector Council and a
member of the Finance Council of the American Management Association.

Tenneco Automotive is a $3.5 billion manufacturing company headquartered in Lake
Forest, Ill., with 19,600 employees worldwide. Tenneco Automotive is one of the
world's largest producers and marketers of ride control and exhaust systems and
products, which are sold under the Monroe (R) and Walker (R) global brand names.
Among its products are Sensa-Trac (R) and Monroe(R) Reflex (TM) shocks and
struts, Rancho (R) shock absorbers, Walker (R) Quiet-Flow (TM) mufflers and
Dynomax (TM) performance exhaust products, and Monroe (R) Clevite (TM) vibration
control components.


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