Steering column with PATS

[cajunman87]

I have a 98 ranger, the last year before they put PATS into the keys. I may have access to a 99 column with tilt steering, the column comes with the key but will my truck accept a column with PATS?

 

[Rifleman]

In the PATS system, the PCM is the brain and the sensor assembly in the ignition switch is a "dumb" device that serves no purpose if the PCM doesn't know what to do with it. A PCM that is made with PATS will poll the sensor, if the sensor is present it will use it to send a signal out to see if a stored key is within proximity of the sensor. If everything doesn't happen as it should within the PATS system, the PCM will not send commands through the system to fire the fuel injectors or send spark through the plugs. The ignition switch itself operates the same with or without PATS. The difference in your scenario is the column will have extra wires for the PATS key-chip sensor that the truck doesn't have. As for if it is a direct plug-in swap outside of the PATS wiring I do not know. They commonly alter connectors as they make other changes. You may have some tracing of the pinouts on the connectors to do.