Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 250	$ 288	$ 282	$ 260	$ 267	$ 275
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,285		1,088
Inventories	713		688
Deferred income taxes	77		81
Prepayments and other	279		284
Total current assets	2,606		2,426
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	13		12
Goodwill	63		65
Intangibles, net	26		26
Deferred income taxes	162		143
Other	98		106
Total other assets	362		352
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,475		3,490
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,242)		(2,272)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,233		1,218
Total Assets	4,201		3,996	4,305
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	127		60
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Trade payables	1,391		1,372
Accrued taxes	61		40
Other	347		327
Total current liabilities	1,926		1,799
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,103		1,055
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	20		18
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 531		$ 551
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 3,580		$ 3,423
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	30		35
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	550		497
Noncontrolling interests	41		41
Total equity	591		538	625
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,201		3,996
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4	0	10	0	2	6
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	468		408
Inventories	328		312
Deferred income taxes	47		49
Prepayments and other	76		96
Total current assets	923		875
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,135		1,064
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	930		944
Long-term receivables, net	11		12
Goodwill	22		22
Intangibles, net	11		10
Deferred income taxes	80		76
Other	36		40
Total other assets	2,225		2,168
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,290		1,236
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(872)		(845)
Plant, property and equipment, net	418		391
Total Assets	3,566		3,434
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	147		243
Trade payables	559		478
Accrued taxes	26		(15)
Other	141		134
Total current liabilities	873		840
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,666		1,730
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 418		$ 418
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 2,957		$ 2,988
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	609		446
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	609		446
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,566		3,434
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	246	288	272	260	265	269
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,419		1,309
Inventories	385		376
Deferred income taxes	25		25
Prepayments and other	203		188
Total current assets	2,280		2,173
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	11,928		10,589
Long-term receivables, net	2		0
Goodwill	41		43
Intangibles, net	15		16
Deferred income taxes	15		14
Other	50		53
Total other assets	12,051		10,715
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,185		2,254
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,370)		(1,427)
Plant, property and equipment, net	815		827
Total Assets	15,146		13,715
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	113		54
Short-term debt — affiliated	250		220
Trade payables	973		1,000
Accrued taxes	35		31
Other	267		241
Total current liabilities	1,638		1,546
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	31		44
Long-term debt — affiliated	11,839		10,516
Deferred income taxes	20		18
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 113		$ 129
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 13,641		$ 12,253
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	30		35
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,434		1,386
Noncontrolling interests	41		41
Total equity	1,475		1,427
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	15,146		13,715
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	5		7
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	5		7
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	908		764
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,846		4,844
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	67		53
Other	12		13
Total other assets	5,833		5,674
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,838		5,681
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	14		6
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		9
Trade payables	0		0
Accrued taxes	0		24
Other	3		3
Total current liabilities	17		42
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,072		1,011
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,199		4,131
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 0		$ 0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 5,288		$ 5,184
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	550		497
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	550		497
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,838		5,681
Reclass and Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	$ 0	0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(602)		(629)
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(602)		(629)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(2,043)		(1,828)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(17,704)		(16,377)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(19,747)		(18,205)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(20,349)		(18,834)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(397)		(472)
Trade payables	(141)		(106)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(64)		(51)
Total current liabilities	(602)		(629)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(17,704)		(16,377)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 0		$ 4
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ (18,306)		$ (17,002)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(2,043)		(1,832)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(2,043)		(1,832)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (20,349)		$ (18,834)