2013 subaru forester tailgate lock not functioning on open or close with keyfob or door unlock switch on driver side

Selecting Audible Signal Operation; Warning Chimes And Warning Light; Disabling Keyless Access Function - Subaru 2013 Legacy, 2013 Outback Owner's Manual [Page 114] ' ManualsLib

Owner manual has some pages to do with Door lock and unlock. Go to the search and put door unlock and a few pages come up.
I did see when the drivers door inside handle is pulled it should unlock the doors if car is off. The other thing mentioned on several page is contact dealer for changes to door lock and unlock operation.
This owner's manual may help you with other issues if you don't have the manual.

LOCKING AND UNLOCKING
You can use the power door lock control or the remote control to lock and unlock your doors and tailgate.See Tailgate Lock.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock control is on the driver and front passenger door panels.

AUnlock.
BLock. Remote Control
You can use the remote control at any time your vehicle is not running.
Unlocking the Vehicle (Two-Stage Unlock)
Press the button to unlock the driver door. Press the button again within three seconds to unlock all doors.The direction indicators flash. The direction indicators flash twice to confirm the change. The unlocking mode applies to the remote control, keyless entry keypad and intelligent access.
Press and hold both the lock and unlock buttons on the remote control for four seconds to disable or enable two-stage unlocking. Disabling two-stage unlocking allows your entire vehicle to unlock with one press of the button.
Intelligent access at the driver door unlocks your entire vehicle when you disable two-stage unlocking.
Locking the Vehicle
Press the button to lock all doors.The direction indicators flash.
Press the button again within three seconds to confirm that all the doors are closed.The doors lock again, the horn sounds and the direction indicators flash if all the doors are closed.
Mislock
If any door is open, or if the hood is open on vehicles with an anti-theft alarm or remote start, the horn sounds twice and the direction indicators do not flash.
Activating Intelligent Access
General Information
You can unlock and lock the vehicle without taking the keys out of your pocket or purse when your intelligent access key is within 3 ft (1 m) of your vehicle. Intelligent access uses a sensor on the back of the door handle for unlocking and a separate sensor on the face of each door handle for locking.
The system does not function if:

• Your vehicle battery has no charge.
• The key battery has no charge.
• The key frequencies are jammed.

Note: The system may not function if the key is close to metal objects or electronic devices, for example keys or a cell phone.
Note: If the system does not function, use the key blade to lock and unlock your vehicle. See Remote Control.
Unlocking Using Intelligent Access
With your intelligent access key within 3 ft (1 m) of your vehicle, touch the unlock sensor on the back of the door handle for a brief period and then pull on the door handle to unlock, being careful to not touch the lock sensor at the same time or pulling the door handle too quickly. The intelligent access system requires a brief delay to authenticate your intelligent access key fob.
Locking Using Intelligent Access
With your intelligent access key within 3 ft (1 m) of your vehicle, touch the outer door handle lock sensor for approximately one second to lock, being careful to not touch the unlock sensor on the back of the door handle at the same time. After locking, you can immediately pull on the door handle to confirm locking occurred without inadvertently unlocking.
Note: Do not use the outside door handle as a roof cargo strap.
At the Electronic Tailgate (If Equipped)
Press the exterior tailgate release button inside of the tailgate handle. The tailgate unlocks and opens. See Electronic Tailgate.
Smart Unlock
This feature helps to prevent you from locking your intelligent access key inside your vehicle's passenger compartment or rear cargo area.
If you leave your key in the ignition, when you open the driver door and lock your vehicle with the power door lock control, the doors lock then unlock.
You can still lock your vehicle with the key in the ignition by:

• Using the manual lock on the inside of the door.
• Locking the driver door with a key.
• Using the keyless entry keypad.
• Using the lock button on the remote control.

Smart Unlocks for Intelligent Access Keys
This feature helps to prevent you from locking your intelligent access key inside your vehicle's passenger compartment or rear cargo area.
When you lock your vehicle using the power door lock control (with the door open, vehicle in park and ignition off), your vehicle searches for an intelligent access key in the passenger compartment after you close the door. If your vehicle finds a key, all of the doors immediately unlock.
In order to override the smart unlock feature and intentionally lock the intelligent access key inside your vehicle, you can lock your vehicle after all doors are closed by using the keyless entry keypad, pressing the lock button on another intelligent access key or touching the locking area on the handle with another intelligent access key in your hand.
When you open one of the front doors and lock your vehicle using the power door lock control, all doors lock then unlock if the ignition is on.
Autolock
Autolock locks all the doors when:

• All doors are closed.
• The ignition is on.
• You shift into any gear putting your vehicle in motion.
• Your vehicle reaches a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h).

Autolock repeats when:

• You open then close any door while the ignition is on and your vehicle speed is 9 mph (15 km/h) or lower.
• Your vehicle reaches a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h).

Autounlock
Autounlock unlocks all the doors when:

• The ignition is on, all the doors are closed, and your vehicle has been moving at a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h).
• Your vehicle comes to a stop and you switch the ignition off or to the accessory position.
• You open the driver door within 10 minutes of switching the ignition off or to accessory.

Note: The doors do not autounlock if you electronically lock your vehicle after you switch the ignition off and before you open the driver door.
Enabling or Disabling Autounlock
You can enable or disable the autounlock feature in the information display or an authorized dealer can do it for you. See General Information.
Illuminated Entry
The interior lamps and select exterior lamps illuminate when you unlock the doors with the remote entry system.
The illuminated entry system turns off the lights if:

• The ignition is on.
• You press the remote control lock button.
• After 25 seconds of illumination.

The dome lamp does not turn on if the control is set to the off position.
The lights do not turn off if:

• You switch them on with the dimmer control.
• Any door is open.

Battery Saver
The battery saver turns off the interior lamps 30 minutes after you switch off the ignition if a door is open and the dome lamp switch is on. It turns off the interior lamps after 10 minutes if the dome lamp switch is off.
Accessory Mode Battery Saver for Intelligent Access Keys (If Equipped)
If you leave the ignition on after leaving your vehicle, it turns off 15 minutes after you close all of the doors.

Sounds like a bad switch on the tailgate. Open your tailgate and look for a switch. When you find it...press it in completely and see if the sensor light goes off. If so, replace it.

Semper Fi,
Z

Locking/Unlocking the doors from the outside
This is done using the RENAULT Card; see the "RENAULT Card" information in Section 1.
In certain cases, the RENAULT card may not work:
- if the RENAULT card battery is weak, flat, etc.
- if equipment operating on the same frequency as the card (mobile phones, etc.) is used;
- vehicle located in a high electromagnetic radiation zone.
It is then possible:
- to use the key integrated into the card to unlock the front left-hand door;
- to lock each of the doors manually;
- to use the interior door locking/unlocking control (refer to the following pages).
Using the key integrated in the RENAULT card
Insert key 1 into the lock in the driver's door and lock or unlock. Locking the doors manually
Turn screw 2 with the door open (using the end of the key) and close the door.
This means that the doors are then locked from the outside.
The doors may then only be opened from the inside or by using the key in the front left-hand door. Interior locking/unlocking door control
Switch 3 controls the doors, boot and, depending on the vehicle, the fuel filler flap simultaneously.
If a door or the tailgate is open or not closed properly, the doors and tailgate lock/unlock quickly.
If you need to transport objects with the boot open, the other opening elements can still be locked: with the engine stopped, press switch 3 for more than five seconds to lock the other opening elements.
Locking the doors without the RENAULT card
For example, in the event of a discharged battery or the RENAULT card temporarily not working, etc.
With the engine switched off and an opening element (door or boot) open, press and hold switch 3 for more than five seconds.
When the door is closed, all the doors and the tailgate will be locked.
Unlocking the vehicle from the outside is only possible with the RENAULT card in the vehicle's access zone or using the key integrated in the RENAULT card.
Door and tailgate status indicator
With the ignition on, the warning light integrated in switch 3 informs you of the locking status of the opening elements:
- indicator light on, the doors and tailgate are locked,
- indicator light off, the doors and tailgate are unlocked.
When you lock the doors, the indicator light remains lit and then goes out.

If you have a Subaru alarm system, you need to press unlock twice in quick succession to unlock the tailgate (and the passenger doors).

There is also a 30mm round access panel on the tailgate inside trim panel. You can stick your finger in an unlock the tailgate. Your tailgate outside lock handle may be rusted solid, which is jamming the lock.

Sounds like the switch is bad. Try passenger side lock button or keyfob lock. If they work and not driver side, then it's the switch in the doorpanel. If none work to lock, but all will unlock, then it's probably the little lock motor inside driver door.

Here's a link to program your fobs,need to do both at the same time. 2008 Subaru Forester Key Fob Remote Programming Instructions

The problem I have found many times is the Handle on outside not returning all the way. That makes the lock not release. Check to make sure you push the handle all the way back to the closed position. I have to spray lube on the edges of the hndle every couple months to free it for my wife. Good Luck and have a great day.

the first thing i would check is the master window switch, on the drivers door, the window lock circuit locks out the operation of the other three windows. the intermittent operation of the windows suggests a possible loose connection or contact.

Push handle to completly return then try unlock, then see if it will open. Handles rust and will not let it return all the way to allow lock to release.