Car-opening methods for the 2007 Subaru Forester are the same from the 1998-2007. The most significant piece of information about opening 2007 models is that the front passenger door is tighter then the rear doors. Since both doors have a manual lock/unlock button, go for the rear door. For this car-opening job, I decided to use the under and over method.
Many locksmiths who have been opening cars for years go through the car-opening process almost subconsciously, even though there are actually multiple steps in the car-opening process. In this article, I will be breaking down the steps to a beginner's level using the Forester as an example and breaking the process down into 10 steps. This could also be a refresher for the pros.
1. First, identify the vehicle. In this case, it is the 2007 Subaru Forester SUV.
2. Determine what opening style the car has. The car has no pull up button, but has a mechanical lock/unlock button.
3. Select your weapon of choice. In this case, I chose the Pro- Lok AO34 MCOT Narrow.
4. Start by inserting a wedge in the weather stripping on the outside of the window aligned just right of the interior handle.
5. Insert the tool using the slot created by your wedge. Slide the tool far enough down to pass the bottom of the window and pull out your wedge. The pull the tool up on the inside of the window.
6. After the tool is inside the car, rotate it 45 degrees counterclockwise and lean it to the left.
7. Next, slide the tool down to where the tip is on the unlock/lock button ready to flip the button.
8. Twist/push the tool towards the front of the car and the button flips. And the car is open.
9. Now you have to remove the tool. Start by raising the tip of the tool up to the weather stripping and putting in a wedge next to the tip, on the outside of the tool.
10. Finally remove the tool. Slide the tip of the tool in the slot on the weather stripping provided by the wedge; push the tool down far enough to clear the bottom of the window. Make sure the tool is on the outside of the window and pull up, removing the tool entirely, also remove wedge. Now the opening is complete.
Simon Blatz teaches car-opening classes for locksmith associations and at locksmith conventions. This is an example of such a class on the Subaru Forester. Watch for upcoming articles with tips for opening additional 2007 and 2008 vehicles.
