One problem related to water pump has been reported for the 1998 Ford Taurus. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
No heat. Took our 1998 Ford Taurus 6cyl. ,3. 0l,182fi vehicle to dealer with complaint of no heat. I am told from the Ford service advisor that there is rust in the coolant system caused by a metal allergy reaction from the water pump impeller blade and the antifreeze coolant in the system which cause rust the inside of the engine, freeze plugs, heater core, thermostat and eventually cause the engine to overheat/breakdown due to lack of water/coolant circulation. Ford answer: replace water pump with upgraded water pump, flush system with anti-rust chemicals, replace freeze plugs, replace heater core, hoses, thermostat and refill with anti-freeze coolant at a cost of @ $1700. 00. This vehicle has had regular maintenance on it since I've own it 10/1999, ie. Oil changes @5000k mi. , coolant flush @1/yr. , brakes & tires check/service @5000k mi. I believe Ford knows of this problem or they wouldn't have upgraded the water pump to correct the problem. And I believe Ford should take care of the replacement of this defective part and related components.