Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	$ 59	$ 57
Comprehensive Income attributable to Tenneco	87	84
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	14	15
Comprehensive Income attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	15	16
Net Income	73	72
Other comprehensive income	29	28
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	102	100
As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	63
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	15
Net Income	78
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	107
Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	(4)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1)
Net Income	(5)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(5)
Tenneco Inc.
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	59
Comprehensive Income attributable to Tenneco	87
Other comprehensive income	28	27
Tenneco Inc. | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	63
Comprehensive Income attributable to Tenneco	91
Tenneco Inc. | Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	(4)
Comprehensive Income attributable to Tenneco	(4)
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	14
Comprehensive Income attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	15
Other comprehensive income		$ 1
Noncontrolling Interest [Member] | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	15
Comprehensive Income attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	16
Noncontrolling Interest [Member] | Adjustment
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1)
Comprehensive Income attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (1)