Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	$ 2,094	$ 1,903
Affiliated companies	0	0
Net sales and operating revenues	2,094	1,903
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	1,754	1,604
Engineering, research, and development	42	35
Selling, general, and administrative	132	119
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	51	50
Costs and expenses	1,979	1,808
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	(1)	(1)
Other income (loss)	(1)	(1)
Total other income (expense)	(2)	(2)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	113	93
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	19	20
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	94	73
Income tax expense	40	12
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	0	0
Net income	54	61
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	8	7
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	46	54
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	43	32
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	920	852
Affiliated companies	103	79
Net sales and operating revenues	1,023	931
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	802	742
Engineering, research, and development	22	15
Selling, general, and administrative	51	53
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	21	19
Costs and expenses	896	829
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0
Other income (loss)	(2)	(1)
Total other income (expense)	(2)	(1)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	125	101
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	0	0
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	16	18
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	109	83
Income tax expense	30	6
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	(15)	(5)
Net income	64	72
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	64	72
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	65	67
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	1,174	1,051
Affiliated companies	148	150
Net sales and operating revenues	1,322	1,201
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	1,203	1,091
Engineering, research, and development	20	20
Selling, general, and administrative	79	64
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	30	31
Costs and expenses	1,332	1,206
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	(1)	(1)
Other income (loss)	1	0
Total other income (expense)	0	(1)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	(10)	(6)
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	0	1
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	(16)	(19)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	6	12
Income tax expense	10	6
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	0	0
Net income	(4)	6
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	8	7
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	(12)	(1)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	(16)	(18)
Tenneco Inc
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	0	0
Affiliated companies	0
Net sales and operating revenues	0	0
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	0	0
Engineering, research, and development	0	0
Selling, general, and administrative	2	2
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	0	0
Costs and expenses	2	2
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Total other income (expense)	0	0
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	(2)	(2)
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	19	19
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	1
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	(21)	(22)
Income tax expense		0
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	67	76
Net income	46	54
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	46	54
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	46	54
Reclass & Elims
Net sales and operating revenues —
External	0	0
Affiliated companies	(251)	(229)
Net sales and operating revenues	(251)	(229)
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	(251)	(229)
Engineering, research, and development	0	0
Selling, general, and administrative	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles	0	0
Costs and expenses	(251)	(229)
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Total other income (expense)	0	0
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Interest expense —
External (net of interest capitalized)	0	0
Affiliated companies (net of interest income)	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, and equity in net income from affiliated companies	0	0
Income tax expense		0
Equity in net income (loss) from affiliated companies	(52)	(71)
Net income	(52)	(71)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	(52)	(71)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Tenneco Inc.	$ (52)	$ (71)