CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues
Net sales and operating revenues	$ 2,031	$ 2,025	$ 2,130	$ 2,023	$ 2,004	$ 2,081	$ 2,241	$ 2,094	$ 8,209	$ 8,420	$ 7,964
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below)	1,688	1,707	1,764	1,686	1,685	1,735	1,851	1,754	6,845	7,025	6,734
Engineering, research, and development									146	169	144
Selling, general, and administrative									491	519	453
Depreciation and amortization of other intangibles									203	208	205
Costs and expenses									7,685	7,921	7,536
Other income (expense)
Loss on sale of receivables									(4)	(4)	(4)
Other expense									(1)	(3)	0
Total other income (expense)									(5)	(7)	(4)
Earnings before interest expense, income taxes, and noncontrolling interests	128	116	155	120	83	140	156	113	519	492	424
Interest expense									67	91	80
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests									452	401	344
Income tax expense									149	131	122
Net income									303	270	222
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									56	44	39
Net income attributable to Tenneco Inc.	$ 68	$ 52	$ 78	$ 49	$ 21	$ 78	$ 81	$ 46	$ 247	$ 226	$ 183
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding —
Basic (in shares)									59,678,309	60,734,022	60,474,492
Diluted (in shares)									60,193,150	61,782,508	61,594,062
Basic earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1.18	$ 0.89	$ 1.27	$ 0.81	$ 0.34	$ 1.29	$ 1.34	$ 0.76	$ 4.14	$ 3.72	$ 3.03
Diluted earnings per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1.17	$ 0.88	$ 1.26	$ 0.80	$ 0.33	$ 1.27	$ 1.32	$ 0.75	$ 4.11	$ 3.66	$ 2.97