Tenneco Automotive Operating Company LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Tenneco 401(k) Investment Plan
Northville, MIManufacturing12,817 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,666Employer $ per active participant
$4,446Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.8BNet plan assets, end of year
$108,971Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.3 / 5031th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.4 / 2550th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.2 / 1515th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score27 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 31th |
| Lower admin cost | 50th |
| Employee saving | 15th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $7,313 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Tenneco Automotive Operating Company put in about $3,666 per active participant, below the typical peer ($5,480). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $46,989,602 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $56,989,095 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $9,079,147 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,586,122 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $942,331 |
| Benefits paid out | $308,648,011 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.8B / $1.8B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 13,299 / 12,335 |
| Participants with account balances | 16,693 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $831,081 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $557,791 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners LLC | $128,750 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015134736NAL0002391699001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 74-1933558, plan #144, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.