8-K

                                  UNITED STATES

                       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): December 4, 2003

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



           Delaware                 1-12387               76-0515284
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission  (I.R.S. Employer of Incorporation
 incorporation or organization)   File Number)        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 December 4, 2003, Tenneco Automotive Inc. announced that it has
launched a transaction to refinance its existing $964 million credit facility,
which was contained in a press release, a copy of which is filed under Item 7 as
Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

Exhibit No.     Description
- -----------     -----------

99.1            Press release dated December 4, 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:    December 4, 2003                       By:  /s/ Kenneth R. Trammell
                                                   --------------------------
                                                   Kenneth R. Trammell
                                                   Senior Vice President and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer

EX-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 LAUNCHES REFINANCING OF SENIOR CREDIT FACILITY TO ENHANCE
                             FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY


Lake Forest, Illinois, December 4, 2003 -- Tenneco Automotive (NYSE: TEN)
announced today that it has launched a transaction to refinance its existing
$964 million senior credit facility, which will be replaced by a new $800
million senior credit facility and the proposed issuance of $125 million of
senior secured notes.

"This refinancing transaction will be the culmination of a process we started in
June when we refinanced a portion of our senior credit facility by successfully
completing a $350 million note issuance. We are undertaking this transaction
because it will ensure the company's access to a long-term source of liquidity,
thereby improving our financial flexibility. It will also extend nearly all of
our debt maturities to 2009 and beyond," said Mark P. Frissora, chairman and
CEO, Tenneco Automotive.



                                     -More-


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The new senior credit facility is expected to include a 5-year revolving line of
credit of approximately $200 million, a 7-year term loan of approximately $400
million and a 7-year letter of credit facility of approximately $200 million,
which can also be used as a revolving line of credit to fund short-term
borrowings.

The $125 million of senior secured notes are expected to be issued under the
same indenture, and would be part of the same class as, and have the same terms
as the $350 million of 10.25% senior secured notes due in 2013 that the company
issued in June of this year.

The company intends to use these new sources of financing to repay the $514
million of term loans and replace the $450 million revolving line of credit
provided under its existing senior credit facility and for general corporate
purposes. The $450 million revolving line of credit was set to expire in
November 2005.

The company is in the process of seeking commitments for the new senior credit
facility and will formally offer the senior secured notes only if and when
satisfactory commitments are received. The closing of the new senior credit
facility and the proposed senior secured notes offering are each conditioned on
the closing of the other. Although there can be no assurance, the company
currently expects to be able to complete these transactions by mid-December.

Tenneco Automotive will be offering the notes in reliance upon an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 for an offer and sale of
securities that does not involve a public offering. The notes have not been
registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. This
news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or
sale in any jurisdiction in which it would be unlawful.

This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning Tenneco
Automotive's proposed refinancing transaction. The terms of, and Tenneco
Automotive's ability to complete, this transaction will depend upon prevailing
market conditions and other factors. The forward-looking statements are subject
to these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements.


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