Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 235		$ 315
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,442		1,321
Inventories	898	$ 864	869
Prepayments and other	348	$ 297	291
Total current assets	2,925		2,799
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	0		0
Long-term receivables, net	12		9
Goodwill	47		49
Intangibles, net	21		22
Deferred income taxes	215		204
Other	158		144
Total other assets	453		428
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	4,027		4,008
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(2,402)		(2,393)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,625		1,615
Total Assets	5,003		4,842	$ 4,881
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	78		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	1,813		1,705
Accrued taxes	42		45
Other	465		433
Total current liabilities	2,398		2,266
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	1,381		1,358
Long-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Deferred income taxes	11		11
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	414		423
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)	0		0
Total liabilities	4,204		4,058
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	38		42	25	$ 40
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	717		696
Noncontrolling interests	44		46
Total equity	761		742	$ 657
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	5,003		4,842
Reclass and Elims
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	(678)		(648)
Inventories	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	(678)		(648)
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	(2,721)		(2,647)
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	(25,056)		(23,877)
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	(27,777)		(26,524)
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	(28,455)		(27,172)
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	(551)		(556)
Accounts payable	(121)		(89)
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	(6)		(3)
Total current liabilities	(678)		(648)
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Long-term debt — affiliated	(25,056)		(23,877)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(25,734)		(24,525)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	(2,721)		(2,647)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(2,721)		(2,647)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	(28,455)		(27,172)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2		7
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	456		402
Inventories	391		383
Prepayments and other	128		99
Total current assets	977		891
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,403		1,389
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	801		791
Long-term receivables, net	11		8
Goodwill	21		22
Intangibles, net	5		5
Deferred income taxes	170		161
Other	70		66
Total other assets	2,481		2,442
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	1,534		1,478
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(959)		(934)
Plant, property and equipment, net	575		544
Total Assets	4,033		3,877
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	0		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	396		408
Accounts payable	689		562
Accrued taxes	5		8
Other	217		203
Total current liabilities	1,307		1,181
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	657		632
Long-term debt — affiliated	1,082		1,093
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	290		296
Total liabilities	3,336		3,202
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	697		675
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	697		675
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	4,033		3,877
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	233		308
Restricted cash	2		3
Receivables, net	1,664		1,567
Inventories	507		486
Prepayments and other	220		192
Total current assets	2,626		2,556
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	0		0
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	20,311		19,119
Long-term receivables, net	1		1
Goodwill	26		27
Intangibles, net	16		17
Deferred income taxes	45		43
Other	88		78
Total other assets	20,487		19,285
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	2,493		2,530
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,443)		(1,459)
Plant, property and equipment, net	1,050		1,071
Total Assets	24,163		22,912
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	63		83
Short-term debt — affiliated	155		148
Accounts payable	1,245		1,232
Accrued taxes	37		37
Other	242		221
Total current liabilities	1,742		1,721
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	9		12
Long-term debt — affiliated	20,171		18,981
Deferred income taxes	11		11
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	124		127
Total liabilities	22,057		20,852
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	38		42
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	2,024		1,972
Noncontrolling interests	44		46
Total equity	2,068		2,018
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	24,163		22,912
Tenneco Inc
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Prepayments and other	0		0
Total current assets	0		0
Other assets:
Investment in affiliated companies	1,318		1,258
Notes and advances receivable from affiliates	3,944		3,967
Long-term receivables, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangibles, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other	0		0
Total other assets	5,262		5,225
Plant, property, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less — Accumulated depreciation and amortization	0		0
Plant, property and equipment, net	0		0
Total Assets	5,262		5,225
Short-term debt (including current maturities of long-term debt)
Short-term debt — non-affiliated	15		0
Short-term debt — affiliated	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued taxes	0		0
Other	12		12
Total current liabilities	27		12
Long-term debt — non-affiliated	715		714
Long-term debt — affiliated	3,803		3,803
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Pension and postretirement benefits and other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	4,545		4,529
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Tenneco Inc. shareholders’ equity	717		696
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	717		696
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity	$ 5,262		$ 5,225