Windshield wiper arms on opposite sides?

[Halo9809]

They have been like this since we bought the car used a few moths ago and was just wondering if they were indeed on incorrectly?

[Chiadog]

Your drivers wiper looks too long! should not be any overlap. My 05 Base is wearing a 21" wiper on the drivers side and 18" on passenger side and it looks normal! I'm sure someone can confirm if this is correct. There's about a 1.5" gap between wipers at rest on my car!

[Halo9809]

Yeah I know, but I've check 3 different sites and have bought and installed correctly the wipers, but what I'm wondering is if the wiper arm on there is the incorrect one for the car or better yet, what is the correct one and how do I remove the old one and correctly install the new one?

[JohnO]

The wiper arms are on the wrong sides. The longer one should be on the passenger side.

[SeattleJeremy]

Here is a picture of my wipers.
The drivers side arm is about one inch shorter than the passenger side arm.

When the wipers are moving they should only touch glass.

I'm would guess the previous owner, or maybe the used car dealer, had the driver side wiper motor go out. Then, rather than replace it with the right one, they just installed what ever fit. The passenger side looks correct.

[jake75]

Here is a picture of my wipers.
The drivers side arm is about one inch shorter than the passenger side arm.

When the wipers are moving they should only touch glass.

I'm would guess the previous owner, or maybe the used car dealer, had the driver side wiper motor go out. Then, rather than replace it with the right one, they just installed what ever fit. The passenger side looks correct.

Replaced what with whatever fit? The wiper blade or the motor?

[SeattleJeremy]

Replaced what with whatever fit? The wiper blade or the motor?

My speculation above assumes the wiper motor and arm where replaced together.
Halo9809 said he replaced the blades with the correct ones. It's the arm that is wrong.

A separate speculation: Maybe the original wiper arm was damaged (crushed by random falling thing), and it was replaced with what ever fit. Like an arm from a Rav4 or something else with a bigger windshield.

[JohnO]

I'll bet they are the right parts, just installed on the wrong sides.

[Halo9809]

With the posted picture above, I now know that for some reason? No idea what, the arms are on the incorrect side, however, does anyone know how to fix them correctly? Like a step by step guide?

[jake75]

With the posted picture above, I now know that for some reason? No idea what, the arms are on the incorrect side, however, does anyone know how to fix them correctly? Like a step by step guide?

So it is the wiper arms themselves that are switched?

[SeattleJeremy]

Halo9809,
We have to figure out what's wrong before we can fix it.
Measure the wiper arm's middle part, from the hinge to the solid metal part with the kink in it.

Attached is what I'm talking about. On my car the passenger side arm, between the marked areas, is 13.5 inches, and the driver side is 11.5 inches.

[Halo9809]

Okay, I will measure them as soon as I have a chance, thanks everyone for all the help already provided.

[lannvouivre]

If they're the right size, you may just have to pull the driver's side one off and reinstall the arm to the motor so that it's in a different position. When my windshield was replaced, the guy put the arms on so that they're positioned too close to the cowl. I'm not strong enough to break the nut loose to fix it

[leemur]

yep, short arm goes on driver side. I have the OEM 09/10 wipers on my 04 and the wipers have a 3/8 inch overlap. They must be a tad longer than the OEM 2004 wipers but they look soooooo much better. $12 each.

[Halo9809]

OKAY! Sorry for such along wait, with work and school and etc, I just measured them this morning, According to my calculations, the passenger side arm is 12 inches, give or a take .5 inch depending on how u and I measured, the right, driver side according to my calculation, which was more easier to measure also is 13.5 inches. So in my opinion I now have no doubt that they are indeed switched!

[Halo9809]

I would just like to thank everybody for all of there help and time and effort spent helping me out. If it wasn't for Seattle Jeremy I don't believe I ever would have gotten then fixed without the help of his measurements so t him I send a special shout out. And now that I have finally gotten then fixed all I need to do is buy the correct size windshield wipers and they well be perfect.

[SeattleJeremy]

I would just like to thank everybody for all of there help and time and effort spent helping me out. If it wasn't for Seattle Jeremy I don't believe I ever would have gotten then fixed without the help of his measurements so t him I send a special shout out. And now that I have finally gotten then fixed all I need to do is buy the correct size windshield wipers and they well be perfect.

Happy to help