Long-Term Debt, Short-Term Debt, and Financing Arrangements - Summary of Long-Term Debt Obligations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	$ 1,310	$ 1,137
Less - maturities classified as current	3	1
Total long-term debt	1,307	1,136
5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	500
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Revolver Borrowings Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	300	105
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Term Loan [Member] \| Senior Tranche A Term Loan Due 2017 Through 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	270	285
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Senior Notes Due 2024, 5.375% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	225	225
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	500
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Senior Notes Due 2020, 6.875% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)		500
Other subsidiaries \| Other Long Term Debt [Member] \| Other Long Term Debt Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	7	15
Other subsidiaries \| Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] \| Notes Due 2016 Through 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	$ 8	$ 7

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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