Long-Term Debt, Short-Term Debt, and Financing Arrangements - Senior Notes (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 1,374	$ 1,310
Long-term debt	1,358	1,294
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 13	13
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage	100.00%
Percent of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest	101.00%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes indentures minimum required fixed charge coverage ratio prior to incurring certain types of indebtedness	2.00
Five Point Three Seven Five Percent Senior Notes Due December 15 2024 [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 225
Long-term debt	222
Unamortized debt issuance costs	3
5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	500
Long-term debt	492
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 8
Senior Notes [Member] \| 5 3/8% Senior Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage	105.375%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 244
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Five Point Three Seven Five Percent Senior Notes Due December 15 2024 [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	225
Long-term debt	222
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 3
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage	35.00%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| 5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 500
Long-term debt	492
Unamortized debt issuance costs	8
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 5% Senior Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 500	500
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage	105.00%
Tenneco Inc. (Parent Company) \| Senior Notes [Member] \| 5 3/8% Senior Notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility letters of credit outstanding	$ 225	$ 225

Debt Instrument Repurchase Price Percentage On Principal Amount Plus Accrued And Unpaid Interest

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- Definition

Fixed charge coverage ratio.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

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
-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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- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

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- Definition

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

Reference 2: 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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-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

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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.

+ References

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