Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 275	$ 260	$ 275	$ 276	$ 235	$ 223
Restricted cash	5		5
Receivables, net	1,265		1,060
Inventories	755		656
Deferred income taxes	77		71
Prepayments and other	268		223
Total current assets	2,645		2,290
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	13		14
Goodwill	66		69
Intangibles, net	27		30
Deferred income taxes	130		125
Other	120		127
Total other assets	356		365
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,537		3,498
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,306)		(2,323)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,231		1,175
Total Assets	4,232		3,830	4,099
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	111		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Trade payables	1,411		1,359
Accrued taxes	50		40
Other	371		356
Total current liabilities	1,943		1,838
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,187		1,019
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	27		28
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	399		453
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	3,556		3,338
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	28		20
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	613		433
Noncontrolling interests	35		39
Total equity	648		472	424
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,232		3,830
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	6	3	1	4
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	548		387
Inventories	333		279
Deferred income taxes	43		87
Prepayments and other	52		35
Total current assets	976		794
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	997		944
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	962		1,026
Long-term receivables, net	11		12
Goodwill	22		22
Intangibles, net	11		13
Deferred income taxes	63		72
Other	43		44
Total other assets	2,109		2,133
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,221		1,173
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(834)		(807)
Plant, property and equipment, net	387		366
Total Assets	3,472		3,293
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	134		247
Trade payables	558		521
Accrued taxes	(17)		9
Other	128		128
Total current liabilities	803		905
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,800		1,700
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	326		357
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	2,929		2,962
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	543		331
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	543		331
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,472		3,293
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	275	260	269	273	234	219
Restricted cash	5		5
Receivables, net	1,377		1,306
Inventories	422		377
Deferred income taxes	27		0
Prepayments and other	216		188
Total current assets	2,322		2,145
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	9,836		7,320
Long-term receivables, net	2		2
Goodwill	44		47
Intangibles, net	16		17
Deferred income taxes	8		9
Other	57		60
Total other assets	9,963		7,455
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,316		2,325
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,472)		(1,516)
Plant, property and equipment, net	844		809
Total Assets	13,129		10,409
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	96		68
Short-term debt — affiliated	300		176
Trade payables	1,007		1,011
Accrued taxes	22		31
Other	291		285
Total current liabilities	1,716		1,571
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	53		8
Long-term debt — affiliated	9,783		7,338
Deferred income taxes	27		28
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	70		92
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	11,649		9,037
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	28		20
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,417		1,313
Noncontrolling interests	35		39
Total equity	1,452		1,352
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	13,129		10,409
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		16
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	7		7
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	7		23
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	959		696
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,921		4,826
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	59		44
Other	20		23
Total other assets	5,959		5,589
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,966		5,612
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	15		15
Short-term debt — affiliated	10		10
Trade payables	0		0
Accrued taxes	45		0
Other	14		9
Total current liabilities	84		34
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,134		1,011
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,136		4,134
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	(1)		0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	5,353		5,179
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	613		433
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	613		433
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,966		5,612
Reclass & Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(660)		(649)
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		(23)
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(660)		(672)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(1,956)		(1,640)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(15,719)		(13,172)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(17,675)		(14,812)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(18,335)		(15,484)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated			0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(444)		(433)
Trade payables	(154)		(173)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(62)		(66)
Total current liabilities	(660)		(672)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(15,719)		(13,172)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	4		4
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	(16,375)		(13,840)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(1,960)		(1,644)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(1,960)		(1,644)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (18,335)		$ (15,484)