Can shifting a Jeep Compass from Drive to Neutral while moving really damage the gearbox?
Need some advice from people who understand transmissions better than I do.
My brother has a Jeep Compass with an automatic transmission. While the car was moving in Drive, my toddler accidentally touched the gear selector, and it shifted into Neutral. The driver simply coasted and brought the car to a safe stop.
Later, the service centre told us that because the gear was moved while the vehicle was in motion, the gearbox has been damaged and now needs to be replaced. The quoted repair cost is huge.
This is what I’m struggling to understand.
Wouldn’t manufacturers design for accidental shifts like this? It doesn’t seem like an impossible scenario—a child, a passenger, or even the driver could accidentally bump the gear selector.
So I have a few questions:
● Can a single accidental shift from Drive to Neutral while the vehicle is moving actually damage the transmission?
● If yes, what exactly gets damaged mechanically?
● Is replacing the entire gearbox a normal recommendation, or could this be an overdiagnosis?
● Has anyone here experienced something similar with a Jeep Compass or any other automatic car?
I genuinely want to understand whether this explanation makes technical sense before we agree to such an expensive repair.
Any insights from mechanics, transmission specialists, or Jeep owners would be greatly appreciated.