Question 1

Do you use OEM or aftermarket keys on Subaru smart key vehicles?

Accepted Answer

We use verified blanks that match the factory FCC ID and are confirmed compatible with the 2020 WRX system before we ever show up. This matters more on the WRX than on older Subaru transponder vehicles. The WRX smart key setup is known to be selective, and there are documented cases in owner forums where incompatible aftermarket fobs either failed to pair or paired inconsistently and lost connection after a few days. We don't use blanks we can't stand behind. If you already bought a fob online, call us and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth trying to program or whether you're starting over with something that will actually hold.

Question 2

How long will a replacement smart key last on a 2020 WRX?

Accepted Answer

The programming doesn't expire. A properly paired key stays registered to the vehicle until it's intentionally erased or the vehicle's security system is reset. What actually wears out is the physical shell: the rubber buttons compress and eventually stop registering, the battery contacts can develop a slight oxidation layer, and the plastic housing takes whatever abuse a key fob takes in a pocket or a gym bag. CR2032 cells in the WRX fob typically need swapping every one to two years depending on how often the remote functions get used. Shell replacements, where the internal electronics move into a fresh housing, are a real service and it tells you something that the internals outlast the plastic on most of these.

Question 3

What if the new key stops working a few weeks after you program it?

Accepted Answer

Call us. The work is covered.

That said, when a freshly programmed WRX smart key starts acting up shortly after, the fob itself is usually not the problem. WRX and other Subaru owners on the forums have documented situations where the vehicle's security system generates a key-not-detected warning intermittently, the car powers on but won't crank, and then clears itself after sitting for several minutes. That pattern points to the vehicle side, not the key. We troubleshoot what's actually happening rather than just handing you another fob and calling it done.

Question 4

Can I add a second smart key to my 2020 WRX myself, or do I need a shop?

Accepted Answer

You need diagnostic equipment. There is no ignition-cycle sequence or button trick that registers a new smart key on the 2020 WRX. That style of onboard relearn only applies to older vehicles with a key that physically turns in an ignition cylinder. The WRX smart key system requires a tool that communicates through the OBD port to register the new fob to the vehicle's security system. A locksmith or dealer handles this. If you're adding a spare while you still have a working key, that's actually the easier scenario because the system doesn't need a full reset. All-keys-lost is a longer job with a timed sequence built into the process.

Question 5

The door handle touch unlock stopped working on my WRX but the start button still sees the fob. Is the key failing?

Accepted Answer

Probably not the fob. If push-button start is responding normally and the lock and unlock buttons on the fob work, the key is communicating fine with the vehicle. Touch unlock on the WRX uses a capacitive sensor in the door handle, and that sensor or its wiring can develop issues independent of the fob entirely. Wipe the handle area down, make sure there's no debris or moisture sitting in the handle recess, and test again. If it stays dead on one door only while the other door handle works, you're looking at a handle sensor issue on that door, not a key problem. That's a different repair.

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