Well, Ford is no longer in my good books =P..for a variety of reasons. The guy at the parts counter was atleast candid about it...
"go over there to pay, and smile when she takes all your money"
But I found the right part, and after being convinced that they had given me the wrong part (was actually looking at the cruise control), I took off the cover and found it.
Really wish I had checked this thread earlier, would have saved me half an hour of unjustified indignation.