Subsequent Events Subsequent Events (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Subsequent Event, Description	On January 23, 2014, our Board of Directors adopted, and on February 28, 2014 our Board of Directors amended, the Tecumseh Products Company 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2014 Plan"), subject to shareholder approval of the 2014 Plan at the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders. The 2014 Plan provides for the award to our directors, key employees and third-party service providers, of options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units (including performance restricted stock units), performance awards (which may take the form of performance units, including annual cash performance units, or performance shares) and other stock and stock unit awards to acquire up to an aggregate of 1,800,000 share of our Class A Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share (Common Shares, no par value per share, if the recapitalization proposal we are submitting to shareholders for approval at the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders is approved and implemented).