2012 Subaru Forester Key Replacement

2012 Forester key specs

From 2009 every Forester has an immobilizer, and Subaru used a high-security DAT17 key: laser-cut blade, transponder in a buttonless head. Keyless entry stayed on a separate fob, a four-button design with a trunk button on the back on later cars. The turbocharged XT uses the same key as the 2.5X. This generation has a conventional ignition cylinder throughout, so the key in your hand is the only thing that starts the engine.

What's specific to the 2012 Forester

The 2012 Subaru Forester is the fourth of 5 model years in the Forester SH (third generation) (2009–2013), so it shares its key system with the rest of that run, which makes replacement parts easy to source.

At roughly 14 years old, a 2012 Subaru Forester has usually seen real wear. Ignition and door cylinders on high-mileage cars wear along with the key, so we cut new keys to factory code rather than copying a worn key. Fob cases crack, buttons wear through and solder joints loosen at this age, so a new shell or a replacement remote often beats repairing the old one. Many have changed hands more than once, so erasing keys you can't account for is worth doing during the visit.

Key options for the 2012 Subaru Forester

• Transponder (chip) key. Transponder chips come in families, such as Texas Instruments 4C and 4D, Philips 46, Megamos 48 and the newer 128-bit AES types, and a Subaru Forester only accepts the one its immobilizer was built around. That's why a hardware-store blank that looks right often won't start the car. We match the blank to the vehicle's chip and keyway before cutting. One more practical note: the chip lives in the plastic head, and when that head cracks, the chip can fall out or shift away from the antenna. If the car starts some days and not others, a damaged head is a frequent reason, and replacing the key before it quits entirely costs less than an all-keys-lost visit.
• Key with separate remote fob. Separate remotes are easy to find online, which is exactly why they cause trouble. A listing can show the same shell as your Subaru Forester remote while hiding a different FCC ID, frequency or internal chip, and some used remotes are locked to the first vehicle they were paired with. We're glad to look at one you've already bought, and we'll tell you honestly whether it can be paired before charging you to try. If the remote side of your setup has become unreliable, it's also worth asking whether a fresh remote and a newly cut key, matched together, would cost less than chasing repairs on aging parts.

How the Subaru immobilizer works on the Forester

• Subaru's key bulletin pictures the 2009-2013 Forester key as a high-security key with immobilizer and no remote buttons.
• The four-button separate remote listed for Foresters of 2010-2014, FCC ID CWTWB1U819, operates at 315 MHz.
• Supplier listings give conflicting chip labels for these keys, so a programmer check beats trusting a listing.

Programming a 2012 Forester key

We cut the DAT17 blade on a high-security machine from your key code or by decoding the door lock, then program it through OBD-II. With Subaru's immobilizer data for your VIN, a spare and an all-keys-lost job use the same steps. Supplier listings disagree on whether these keys carry a 4D62 or a 4D60-labeled chip, so we read your old key or test the chip before choosing the blank. The separate fob is paired afterward.

Lost every key to your Forester?

With every key gone, the model year decides the job. A 2000-2004 Subaru, a Baja, or a base model built before its line got an immobilizer just needs a key cut by code or by decoding the door lock. On 4D62 cars from 2005 through 2011 and on remote-head cars of the G-chip years, we cut the blade, erase the missing keys and program new ones in one visit. Keyless Access cars of the G-chip years and every H-chip car are harder: some tools need a working key, so we use dedicated Subaru software or an emulator, and a few cars have to go to the dealer. Brand-new platforms, including the 2026 Outback and Subaru's electric models, are usually dealer jobs for now. We tell you plainly which route your car needs and check ID and proof of ownership before any work.

1. Gather your documents and the VIN. Find your registration or title and a government photo ID in the same name. Note the VIN, which is printed on the driver's side of the dashboard and usually on your insurance card. If the paperwork is locked in the car, tell us; we'll open the vehicle first and check it there.
2. Get into the vehicle without damage. If the car is locked, we open it with non-destructive tools such as an inflatable wedge and a long-reach rod, or by picking the door lock. Some vehicles need a careful approach to avoid triggering the alarm, which can interfere with programming later.
3. Originate a new key from the car. Originating a key means building it without a sample. The door lock usually reveals most of the cuts; any it doesn't are worked out by test-cutting and trying the ignition or a second lock. The finished blade should feel like a factory key, not a forced fit.
4. Program the key to the immobilizer. Next, the new key is introduced to the car's security system. Many vehicles allow this through the OBD-II port with a PIN or security procedure. Some all-keys-lost cases require reading a module on the bench, and a few platforms only allow dealer programming, which we'll tell you up front.
5. Erase missing keys and add a spare. A lost key's metal blade can still open your doors even after its chip is erased. If the keys disappeared along with something showing where you live or park, consider rekeying the car's door lock cylinders too. We'll also recommend leaving with two working keys, not one.

Why a spare key pays for itself

• Some vehicles make it hard to add a key once you're down to one. Certain immobilizer systems let an owner program an extra key on-board only when two working keys are present, so a second key preserves the easy options for later and avoids a full reset.
• Two drivers sharing one key is a daily negotiation. A second key lets a partner, teenager or coworker use the vehicle without handing keys back and forth in parking lots, and it means one person losing their key ring doesn't leave the whole household stuck.
• When you sell or trade in the vehicle, buyers and dealers expect two keys. A missing key can come up during an appraisal or a private-sale negotiation, so having both on hand keeps the conversation about the car, not about what it will cost the next owner to replace one.

Dealer or mobile locksmith?

Price and parts are the other half of the comparison. Dealers typically sell factory keys only and charge their posted service rates for programming. We offer factory keys where it matters and quality aftermarket alternatives where they perform well, and the quote covers cutting, programming and the trip, with nothing tacked on at the end. Timing differs too. Dealer service departments generally keep business hours, while we take automotive calls every day from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., which covers early commutes and late evenings. We're closed overnight, and we'll be upfront if your timing means the dealer or a next-day visit is the better plan. Neither option is wrong; the right one depends on your Forester and your schedule.

Forester key battery

Battery details for the 2012 Forester: CR2025 (separate fob). Swap cells one at a time and match each one exactly; if a key still fails with a fresh battery, the board, buttons or programming may be the problem, which we can test on site.

How the job works

1. Identify the exact key your Forester uses. Every job starts with the VIN, the trim and a look at any key you still have. From those we confirm the keyway, the transponder or smart-key chip, the remote frequency, the FCC ID and the button layout. Two Subaru Forester keys that look identical can carry different electronics, so this step keeps the wrong part from ever reaching the car.
2. Verify ownership before any work. Before cutting or programming, we compare your government photo ID with the vehicle registration or title and check that the VIN on the paperwork matches the VIN on the dash. If the registration is locked inside, we open the car first, confirm the documents, and only then make the key.
3. Get the key code or decode the lock. If you still have a working key, we can read its cuts directly and check them against the factory depths for the Subaru keyway. A worn key gets corrected back to spec during this step, so the new key turns crisply instead of reproducing years of wear in a fresh piece of metal.
4. Cut the blade on-site. Cutting happens right beside your car. For a smart key, that means the emergency blade hidden inside the fob; for a transponder or remote-head key, it's the main blade you'll use every day. We deburr the cuts and check the fit in each lock so nothing binds or sticks later on.
5. Program the chip, remote or smart key. With the blade done, we connect to the OBD-II port and register the new key with the immobilizer. Depending on the Subaru system, this may involve a security PIN, a timed waiting period, or on-board button sequences for the remote. On some vehicles we clone a working key's chip instead, when that's the more reliable path.
6. Test everything and clear out old keys. The last step is a short walkthrough. We show you how many keys the car now recognizes, point out the dead-fob start method for your vehicle, and hand you an itemized receipt. If a spare makes sense, it's simplest to add it during this same visit while the equipment is already connected.

What affects the price of a Forester key

• The type of key. The biggest factor is technology. A plain mechanical key is a cutting job only. A transponder key adds a chip and programming. Remote-head and flip keys add a circuit board, and a proximity fob for a push-button Subaru Forester is the most involved of all, both in the part itself and in the programming.
• Programming complexity and security access. Two cars with similar-looking keys can program very differently. Newer platforms often guard key programming behind encrypted access or paid credentials, while older systems allow straightforward OBD-II pairing. We check the exact procedure for your VIN before quoting, so the number reflects the real work involved.
• Blade style and cutting. The blade still matters on keyless cars, because the emergency insert has to fit the door lock. Cutting by code is standard for us. Decoding a door lock when no key or code exists adds time, and so does progressing any cuts the door lock doesn't show.
• Travel, timing and extra repairs. Because we come to you, the distance from our San Bernardino base and the time of the call play a part. So does anything we find along the way, such as a worn ignition cylinder or a seized door lock. You hear about each item and get a quote before we start work.

Call (951) 903-3193 with your VIN and the keys you still have, and we'll quote the job before any work starts.

Common Subaru key problems

• Remote-head keys sold under FCC ID CWTB1G077 look alike but differ inside. The 2018-2019 Legacy and Outback versions carry the older G chip, while the 2017-2020 Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester and Ascent versions carry the H chip. Match the part number and pod color, not just the FCC ID.
• Used Subaru fobs sold online can arrive already programmed to another car. Ask whether a fob is new or reset to a blank state before you buy, and bring the part number and FCC ID from your old key so we can confirm the fit before programming.
• If a Keyless Access fob battery dies, the car can usually still be started with the backup method in the owner's manual, which uses the fob and the start button. The emergency blade hidden in the fob opens the driver's door.
• Remote-head key shells tend to crack at the blade root after years on a heavy keyring. The remote board and transponder can usually be moved into a new shell with a freshly cut blade, which often costs less than a complete new key.

Tips from a mobile locksmith

• Never hide a spare key or fob on the outside of the car. Magnetic boxes in wheel wells and under bumpers are the first places a thief checks, and with a proximity fob, a hidden key can let anyone open the doors and drive away. Keep the spare at home or with someone you trust.
• Learn your car's dead-fob start method now, in the driveway, rather than in a dark parking lot later. Depending on the make, you hold the fob against the start button or place it in a marked pocket in the console. Also find the hidden keyhole on the driver's door handle and practice using the emergency blade.
• Every so often, use the mechanical blade in the driver's door lock. Cylinders that go years without a key can seize from dust and dried grease, and you won't find out until the day the fob dies and the blade is your only way in. A small shot of dry lubricant keeps the lock ready.

Proof of ownership

Making car keys is regulated work in California. Locksmiths are licensed and overseen by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services under the Locksmith Act, Business and Professions Code section 6980 and following, and Julian's Locksmith holds company license LCO7891. Verification protects you more than anyone: a locksmith who will make a key for whoever asks will also make one for someone who wants your car. We record your name, the vehicle and its VIN on a work order, and we politely decline jobs where ownership can't be established. You can look up our license at search.dca.ca.gov.

Need a 2012 Subaru Forester key?

Locked out, keyless, or just tired of a fob that only works half the time? Julian's Locksmith can help with your Forester in Southern California. Have your registration and photo ID ready, call (951) 903-3193, and we'll give you an honest answer about what we can do on-site and what it will cost before we head your way.