Given that you said it was hunting for gears on the up hill runs, you have an automatic tranny correct? If so, it is going to hunt for gears climbing steep grades because the tranny is going in and out of 4th gear trying to maintain speed. When I went back and forth from here to arizona, my car did the same going through the mountains. You should turn the overdrive off when driving up steep grades. If it was off and still hunting gears, then there really is a problem. As for the situation you are in now, I'd go ahead and contact the regional manager for that area as well as the ford customer service line and explain the situation to them. They have been more than helpful w/ me on several occasions getting issues resolved w/ local ford dealers around here. Good luck.