Subaru Forester Key Replacement in San Diego

A Forester remote head key costs $179 at the car; a Subaru service desk tends to quote $330. Push-button Foresters use a $259 Keyless Access fob.

Forester keys fall into four groups by year: plain metal or a chip key through 2008, a buttonless laser-cut key from 2009 to 2013, a remote head key on turn-key cars from 2014, and a Keyless Access fob on push-button trims.

The 2009 to 2013 key is really two parts, a key and a standalone remote, and we price both on the call. Foresters from the 1998 to 2004 model years generally have no chip at all. Their plain key runs $49 to $89, about the dealer's figure, so the only saving there is not getting the car to a service lane.

Subaru Forester keys by model year

Find your year, and the row shows the key it takes, what the dealer charges and what we charge at the car.

Prices as of 2026-09-30. Every price includes the drive to you anywhere in San Diego County. There is no trip fee and no after-hours rate inside our open hours. All keys lost adds $60.
Model years	Typical dealer	Value Car Keys	You keep
2005 to 2008: Transponder chip key (Some trims only; most non-turbo 2.5X cars start on a plain key, $49 to $89)An edge-cut key with no buttons. Subaru added chips one model at a time from 2005, so two 2007 Foresters on the same street can need different keys. The VIN settles it.	~~$250~~	$139	$111
2009 to 2013: High-security laser-cut keyThe third-generation Forester used Subaru's laser-cut blade in a head with no buttons; lock and unlock come from a separate transmitter clipped to the ring. The key is cut and programmed first, then the remote is paired on its own.	~~$290~~	$159	$131
2014 to 2018: Remote head key (Push-button trims, mainly the Touring, use the $259 Keyless Access fob)The 2014 redesign moved the buttons into the key head and returned to teeth cut along the blade's edge, carrying the G chip. Buttonless chip keys at $139 start it as well, handy for a second driver.	~~$330~~	$179	$151
2019 to 2026: Smart key for push-to-start (Push-button trims, typically the Limited and Touring; Base and many Premium cars start with a $179 remote head key)The fifth generation and the 2025 redesign. On 2020 and newer cars, a fob lost with no spare takes the extra steps described below. We also cut the backup blade hidden in the fob.	~~$500~~	$259	$241

The new key next to the original.

Lost every Forester key?

With every Forester key gone, the order of work depends on the generation. A 2009 to 2013 car gets its laser-cut key made from the VIN code, the chip programmed and the separate remote paired: $219, not counting a new remote.

A turn-key Forester from 2014 on gets a remote head key cut, programmed and tested in one pass, $239, and a chipped 2005 to 2008 key comes to $199. Each figure already carries the $60 added when no key exists.

Keyless Access Foresters from 2020 on need more work when no fob is left, since the factory alarm has to be dealt with first, so we confirm that job from the VIN before driving; the fob comes to $319. Whatever the year, you show ownership papers that match your ID, and on any Forester with a chip the missing key loses its access to the immobilizer before we leave.

Subaru Forester key questions

Do I need a new remote as well as a new key for my 2011 Forester?

Only if the remote is missing or broken. The 2009 to 2013 Forester key is a buttonless laser-cut key, $159 at your car, and the remote on the ring is its own transmitter. If the remote still works, we make the key and leave the remote alone. If it went missing with the key, a new remote is priced together with the key during the call.

Does a 2006 Forester 2.5X need a programmed key?

Usually not. Most non-turbo Foresters kept a plain key through 2008, because Subaru added immobilizers one model at a time from 2005. A plain key runs $49 to $89, and a dealer charges a similar amount. Some 2005 to 2008 Foresters do have the chip, and that key is $139 programmed. The VIN tells us which.

What is the least expensive spare for a 2016 Forester?

A chip key without buttons, $139 at the car. It turns the ignition and works the door locks manually, and its chip is programmed to the immobilizer just like the original. The version with lock and unlock buttons is $179. A Subaru dealer typically quotes about $250 for the plain chip key and $330 with buttons.

Why is a push-button Forester fob $259 here when the dealer says $500?

Because the dealer bills the fob as a part and adds programming labor, often $100 to $180, before tax. Our $259 is one number with the programming, the emergency blade and the drive included. Nothing is skimped on the part: OEM or OEM-grade, warrantied for a year. Our page on why we cost less walks through the rest.

How can I tell whether my Forester has Keyless Access?

Look at how the engine starts. If you press a button and the fob never leaves your bag, that is Keyless Access, $259 here. A key you turn means a remote head key, $179, or on a 2009 to 2013 car the $159 laser-cut key with its separate remote. Send a text with the model year and trim, and you get the exact key and price before booking.

Other Subaru models

Text us your Subaru Forester year and trim

Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.

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