The 2005 Ford Escape's spare tire is mounted beneath the rear cargo area in front of the rear bumper. This is a common storage place for spare tires on trucks and SUVs. A retaining wire and a metal shaft hold the tire in place. To release the Escape's spare tire, you'll need to use the vehicle's factory-equipped jack tools. If your Escape does not have these tools, you'll need to contact an authorized Ford dealer. The owner's manual recommends against using a standard socket wrench to access the vehicle's spare tire.
Pull up on the 2005 Escape's emergency brake lever for safety. Open the SUV's rear hatch. Remove all items from the cargo floor.
Grasp the rear edge of the cargo floor carpet. Pull it up to access the cardboard cover beneath it. Lift the cardboard cover up. Behind it you'll find a small compartment with the jack and spare tire tools.
Unbuckle the strap to free the jack and tools. Lift the lug wrench out of the compartment. The lug wrench is L-shaped and is what you'll use to release the spare tire.
Inspect the area on the right side of the Escape's rear bumper. You'll see a hole. Insert the handle end of the lug wrench firmly into the hole.
Turn the lug wrench counterclockwise. As you do so, you'll notice that the spare begins to lower itself. Stop turning when the wrench no longer turns. This will happen a few turns after the spare touches the ground and gives you a little bit of slack in the retainer cable.
Scoot the spare tire out from underneath the Escape. Lift one side of it up partially. On the other side you'll see a metal shaft. Turn the shaft sideways and slide it through the center of the spare tire's rim. The spare tire is now free.
