Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 287	[1]	$ 282	[1]	$ 275	[1]	$ 223
Restricted cash	1		3
Receivables, net	1,112		1,088
Inventories	682		688
Deferred income taxes	0		81
Prepayments and other	229		284
Total current assets	2,311		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	60		65
Intangibles, net	22		26
Deferred income taxes	218		143
Other	100		106
Total other assets	413		352
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	3,418		3,490
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,175)		(2,272)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,243		1,218
Total Assets	3,967		3,996		3,830
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	86		60
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	1,376		1,372
Accrued taxes	37		40
Other	295		327
Total current liabilities	1,794		1,799
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,124		1,055
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	7		18
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 524		$ 551
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 3,449		$ 3,423
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	43		35		20		15
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	433		497		433
Noncontrolling interests	42		41
Total equity	475		538		472
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,967		3,996
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2		10		6		4
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	299		408
Inventories	333		312
Deferred income taxes			49
Prepayments and other	67		96
Total current assets	701		875
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,146		1,064
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	938		944
Long-term receivables, net	11		12
Goodwill	22		22
Intangibles, net	9		10
Deferred income taxes	122		76
Other	42		40
Total other assets	2,290		2,168
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,281		1,236
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(851)		(845)
Plant, property and equipment, net	430		391
Total Assets	3,421		3,434
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	164		243
Accounts payable	484		478
Accrued taxes	6		(15)
Other	125		134
Total current liabilities	779		840
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,583		1,730
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 424		$ 418
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 2,786		$ 2,988
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	635		446
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	635		446
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	3,421		3,434
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	285		272		269		219
Restricted cash	1		3
Receivables, net	1,241		1,309
Inventories	349		376
Deferred income taxes			25
Prepayments and other	162		188
Total current assets	2,038		2,173
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	13,291		10,589
Long-term receivables, net	2		0
Goodwill	38		43
Intangibles, net	13		16
Deferred income taxes	28		14
Other	47		53
Total other assets	13,419		10,715
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,137		2,254
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,324)		(1,427)
Plant, property and equipment, net	813		827
Total Assets	16,270		13,715
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	73		54
Short-term debt — affiliated	147		220
Accounts payable	955		1,000
Accrued taxes	31		31
Other	221		241
Total current liabilities	1,427		1,546
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	21		44
Long-term debt — affiliated	13,226		10,516
Deferred income taxes	7		18
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 100		$ 129
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 14,781		$ 12,253
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	43		35
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	1,404		1,386
Noncontrolling interests	42		41
Total equity	1,446		1,427
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	16,270		13,715
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes			7
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	0		7
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	891		764
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	4,788		4,844
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	68		53
Other	11		13
Total other assets	5,758		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	5,758		5,681
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	13		6
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		9
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued taxes	0		24
Other	3		3
Total current liabilities	16		42
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,103		1,011
Long-term debt — affiliated	4,208		4,131
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 0		$ 0
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ 5,327		$ 5,184
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	433		497
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	433		497
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,760		5,681
Reclass & Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0		$ 0		$ 0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(428)		(629)
Inventories	0		0
Deferred income taxes			0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(428)		(629)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(2,037)		(1,828)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(19,017)		(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	(21,054)		(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	(21,482)		(18,834)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(311)		(472)
Accounts payable	(63)		(106)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(54)		(51)
Total current liabilities	(428)		(629)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(19,017)		(16,377)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Postretirement benefits and other liabilities	$ 0		$ 4
Commitments and contingencies
Total liabilities	$ (19,445)		$ (17,002)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(2,039)		(1,832)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(2,039)		(1,832)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ (21,484)		$ (18,834)

[1] Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase.