WhichCarParts

Subaru Forester · 2012–2026

Subaru Forester Key Fob Battery Type and Replacement

The specification is not the same across every year we cover, the table below shows exactly where it changes.

Last verified

Photo: James086 / CC BY-SA 4.0. Illustrative, not necessarily your model year or trim.

Has the Subaru Forester key fob battery specification changed by year?

Model yearsFob battery
20252026CR2032 (push-button-start smart key)
20192024CR2032 (push-button-start smart key, standard across this generation)
20142018CR1620 (flip-key remotes on base/Premium); CR2032 on push-button-start Limited/Touring/XT smart keys. Check which key your trim uses
20122013CR1620 (exposed-blade flip key with integrated remote)

Each row links to the full specification for that generation, including trim-by-trim breakdowns and the part numbers. Where engines within a generation differ, that page separates them.

Full specifications by generation

The key fob battery on a Subaru Forester is set by its generation, not its model year, so each generation has one page carrying the complete figures, part numbers and fitment notes for every year it covers.

Subaru Forester key fob battery: common questions

What battery does the Subaru Forester key fob take?

A single CR2032 (push-button-start smart key) coin cell.

Can you use a CR2032 instead of a CR2025 in a Subaru Forester key fob?

This fob takes a CR2032 (push-button-start smart key), so start there. The two cells share a 20 mm diameter but differ in thickness, and the thicker one does not always seat in a housing built for the thinner.

How do you open a Subaru Forester key fob?

Slide out the mechanical emergency key first, which usually releases a catch, then part the halves with a plastic pry tool or a coin wrapped in tape. A screwdriver will mark the case and can crack the seam.

Sources

Find your exact Forester

Jump to a model year for the engines it offered, what changed, and the problems documented against it: