My 1998 Ranger will not turn on when the key is turned it makes no noise, no clicking or anything, and turns easily without any resistance, but it is also stuck with the battery turned on, like the radio is on and ac fans are blowing air even when I turn the key off or take it out. I have already replaced the ignition cylinder and nothing changed but when I first opened up the area near the steering wheel I noticed a wire that ends in a blue plastics piece that looks broken q as loose, some other people online have said it is apart of the PATS but I do not have a key with any kind of chip in it it’s just a solid metal key even at the butt of the key, there is also no anti theft light on the dash, and I have never had any problems with this key.


Someone helped me get the truck started by going underneath the truck with a screw driver and said bypassed part of the ignition I can’t remember exactly what he said sorry. But when I got home and tried to turn the truck off it would not turn off, even with no key in it would drive, so I had to pull the fuel pump relay to turn the engine off.

Any ideas on what I need to do would be appreciated.


This is the blue piece that is broken

 

I might be oversimplifying, but it sounds like a bad ignition switch to me.