The Purpose Behind the “E” Button Found in Some Older Cars — And Why Many Drivers Were Curious About It

If you have ever looked inside an older vehicle from the 1970s, 1980s, or early 1990s, you may have noticed an unusual letter displayed on the gear selector or gear shift pattern: “E.”

Unlike the familiar “P,” “R,” “N,” and “D” found on most automatic transmissions today, or the numbered gears found in manual vehicles, this single letter often raises questions among people who have never driven an older car. While it has largely disappeared from modern vehicles, the “E” represented an important engineering idea during its time.