Long-Term Debt, Short-Term Debt, and Financing Arrangements - Financing Arrangements (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 1,294,000,000	$ 1,124,000,000
Long-term debt	1,307,000,000	1,136,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Commitments	1,598,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Borrowings	659,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Letter of Credit	0
Committed Credit Facilities, Available	939,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	1,310,000,000	$ 1,137,000,000
Tenneco Inc. revolving credit agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed Credit Facilities, Commitments	1,200,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Borrowings	300,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Letter of Credit	0
Committed Credit Facilities, Available	900,000,000
Tranche A Term Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed Credit Facilities, Commitments	270,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Borrowings	270,000,000
Subsidiaries' credit agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed Credit Facilities, Commitments	128,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Borrowings	89,000,000
Committed Credit Facilities, Available	39,000,000
Tranche A Term Facility due March 22, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	270,000,000
Five Point Three Seven Five Percent Senior Notes Due December 15 2024 [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	221,000,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	4,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	225,000,000
5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	492,000,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	8,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	500,000,000
Other Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	102,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Committed Credit Facilities, Available	900,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	300,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Tranche A Term Facility due March 22, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	269,000,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	1,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	270,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Five Point Three Seven Five Percent Senior Notes Due December 15 2024 [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	221,000,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	4,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	225,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| 5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	492,000,000
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	8,000,000
Long-term Debt, Gross	$ 500,000,000

Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding.

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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.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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No definition available.

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

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Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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- Definition

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

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