Equity-Based Compensation - Summary of Equity-Based Compensation Expense (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) plan	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) plan	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)
Share-based Compensation
Number of Equity-Based Compensation Plans \| plan	4		4
Restricted stock units			$ 967	$ 2,362
Service-Based RSUs
Share-based Compensation
Restricted stock units	$ 436	$ 400	948	949
Performance and market-based RSU's
Share-based Compensation
Restricted stock units	130	251	(25)	771
Market-Based RSUs
Share-based Compensation
Restricted stock units	119	191	44	642
RSUs
Share-based Compensation
Restricted stock units	685	842	967	2,362
Income tax benefit	$ 257	$ 317	$ 363	$ 888

Number of equity based compensation plan.

No definition available.

Name:	cts_NumberOfEquityBasedCompensationPlan
Namespace Prefix:	cts_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The noncash expense that represents the cost of restricted stock or unit distributed to employees as compensation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=cts_ServiceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=cts_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=cts_MarketBasedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: