Considering the level of difficulty to replace the headlight bulbs in your Ford Escape, it makes sense to replace them both even when only one burns out. Instead of bringing the Escape to the dealer or local repair shop, you can save money by buying the correct headlights at a local parts store and installing them yourself.
Release the hood latch to the Ford Escape and make sure the light switch is in the "off" position.
Open the hood and approach the passenger-side light bulb first. Replace this one first so you can see how it's done, because to get to the driver's-side bulb, you're going to have to remove the battery and battery hold-down.
Locate the wire harness plugged into the back of the headlight at the center of the headlight assembly. Squeeze the tabs on both sides of the plug and unplug the wire harness from the headlight.
Pull the rubber boot off of the back of the headlight assembly by the tabs.
Locate the retaining ring holding in the halogen headlight. Press the side of the ring with the lock tab and push slightly downward. It will swing open and allow you to remove the bulb.
Insert the new bulb (do not touch the glass of the bulb) into the headlight assembly by lining up the tabs. Re-secure the retaining ring to the locking tab.
Replace the rubber boot and plug the light back in. Turn the lights on to check the right headlight. Turn them off.
Repeat this procedure for the left headlight, but first remove the battery hold-down with a ratchet and socket, then remove the battery. Start by removing the negative cable first, then the positive. When replacing the battery, attach the positive cable first and the negative last, then replace the hold-down.
