Accelerator Pedal Switch?

[BoomerZoomr]

Now that my new CX-5 (turbo) has some miles on it, yesterday while merging on the interstate highway I floored the gas pedal. I felt some resistance against the pedal, which then broke free. I thought maybe the pedal had snagged/hung up on something. When I got home, I checked it out pushing the pedal to the floor with my hand (engine off). Under this condition, it feels/sounds like there is a very heavy duty button/switch under the gas pedal. Internet searches turned up a switch of this type in other cars to downshift the transmission or kick off the AC compressor. Nothing on this Mazda though. The throttle position sensor would seem to make a switch like this unnecessary. And the physical resistance of this switch is significant. Do others have something like this?

 

[N7turbo]

You are right that downshifting is controlled by throttle position and load. What you found is simply a detent for driver feedback and does not mechanically couple to anything.