CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Tenneco Inc. Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests	Total Equity
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018			$ (930)	$ 4,360	$ (1,013)	$ (692)	$ 1,726	$ 190	$ 1,916
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					(117)		(117)	7	(110)
Foreign currency translation adjustments						29	29	4	33
Derivatives						4	4		4
Defined benefit plans						1	1		1
Comprehensive income (loss)							(83)	11	(72)
Stock-based compensation, net				5			5		5
Cash dividends declared					(20)		(20)		(20)
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment								(1)	(1)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests								(1)	(1)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2019			(930)	4,365	(1,150)	(658)	1,628	199	1,827
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018			(930)	4,360	(1,013)	(692)	1,726	190	1,916
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ (91)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	17
Derivatives	1
Defined benefit plans	(1)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(43)
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	(8)
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	0
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2019			(930)	4,371	(1,124)	(680)	1,638	206	1,844
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2019			(930)	4,365	(1,150)	(658)	1,628	199	1,827
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	26				26		26	9	35
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(18)					(17)	(17)		(17)
Derivatives	(3)					(3)	(3)		(3)
Defined benefit plans	(2)					(2)	(2)		(2)
Comprehensive income (loss)	22						4	9	13
Stock-based compensation, net				6			6		6
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests								(2)	(2)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2019			(930)	4,371	(1,124)	(680)	1,638	206	1,844
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,619		(930)	4,432	(1,367)	(711)	1,425	194	1,619
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)					(839)		(839)	2	(837)
Foreign currency translation adjustments						(199)	(199)	(13)	(212)
Derivatives						(2)	(2)		(2)
Defined benefit plans						4	4		4
Comprehensive income (loss)							(1,036)	(11)	(1,047)
Stock-based compensation, net				2			2		2
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest to permanent equity								82	82
Redeemable noncontrolling interest transaction with owner				(7)			(7)		(7)
Ending balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2020			(930)	4,427	(2,206)	(908)	384	265	649
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		1
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,619		(930)	4,432	(1,367)	(711)	1,425	194	1,619
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(1,189)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(177)
Derivatives	2
Defined benefit plans	(1)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(1,342)
Purchase accounting measurement period adjustment	0
Distributions declared to noncontrolling interests	(82)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020	349		(930)	4,433	(2,556)	(874)	74	275	349
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020		1
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020			(930)	4,427	(2,206)	(908)	384	265	649
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(350)				(350)		(350)	6	(344)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	42					35	35	4	39
Derivatives	4					4	4		4
Defined benefit plans	(5)					(5)	(5)		(5)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(299)						(316)	10	(306)
Stock-based compensation, net				6			6		6
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		1
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 349		$ (930)	$ 4,433	$ (2,556)	$ (874)	$ 74	$ 275	$ 349