Long-Term Debt, Short-Term Debt, and Financing Arrangements - Summary of Long-Term Debt Obligations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	$ 1,374	$ 1,310
Less - maturities classified as current	3	3
Unamortized debt issuance costs	13	13
Total long-term debt	1,358	1,294
5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	500
Unamortized debt issuance costs	8
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Revolver Borrowings Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	0	300
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Revolver Borrowings Due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	244
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Term Loan [Member] \| Senior Tranche A Term Loan Due 2017 Through 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	0	270
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Term Loan [Member] \| Senior Tranche A Term Loan due 2017 through 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	390	0
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 5 3/8% Senior Notes due 2024
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	500
Other subsidiaries \| Other Long Term Debt [Member] \| Other Long Term Debt Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	5	7
Other subsidiaries \| Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member] \| Notes Due 2018 Through 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt (including current maturities)	$ 10	$ 8

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

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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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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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