Windshield wiper arm on passenger side won't move.

Hi.

It's pretty easy, you do not need to know the position, the wiper motor always return to it's origin, just activate the wiper motor by briefly using the washer fluid switch for instance, let it finish it's movement. Next, you want to place the wiper arm with the longest blade on the driver side. Now for the height, most car's wiper sit from 0.5 to 1 inch above the base of the windshield so that should be what you're aiming for, if the wiper arms pinion has splines, try to pick the one closest to the windshield but not too close of course and repeat the same steps for the passenger side. Now you should check the wiper arm operation for collision, incorrect height or travel distance and adjust the wiper arm position accordingly. By the way, if you're lucky your windshield may have mark on the base of the tinting of the windshield to indicate the height of the wiper blade

Sometimes you need to bend the arm to put more pressure on the glass.

You must remove the wiper arm to make sure the serrations on both the arm and where it mounts to are not damaged. Turn on the wipers and see if the nub that the wiper arm mounts to is moving.

If it isn't, there is a mechanism called the Wiper Transmission. It is located in the cowl at the bottom of the windshield. The device has a number of arms. The arm that connects the right side to the transmission is off. This is usually the fault of a small round plastic piece at the end of the arm. Simply putting it back on is nit recommended because it will probably fall off again. This plastic piece is attainable at most good auto parts places.

Either the wiper arms are loose or stripped on the pivots or the wiper linkage is broken. Try tightening the arm to pivot bolt. If that doesn't work, remove the plastic cowling and examine the linkage. You can buy new linkage for it.

sounds like the connecting rod between both wiper arms either broke or one of the keepers popped off under the connector for that arm..since the wiper system IS NOT designed to wisk snow off the window once accumulated, this can an does happen.. even seen motors get burned out doing this..cleaning the window first will save this issue and the equiptment. need to acess this arm<take off the vented peice below the windshield and everything should be visible there..repost findings

If the driver side wiper is working then the linkage under the long thin grille at the lower of the windshield has disconnected. You can remove the screws from the wiper cover assy cover and usually snap the link rod back on fairly easy. This usually happens when folks do not take the time in winter to clear the windshield of ice before turning on the wipers. If the wiper blades are stuck to the windshield and you turn them on this linkage will pop off and you can also strip out the wiper arm where it bolts on to the pivot, you can should try and tighten this nut first and get lucky. See if the pivot is moving is so tighten the nut at the bottom of the wiper arm. If the pivot is not turning it is the link rod.

snapped wiper transmission arm back into place and it works just fine. thanks for your concern. will not need help after all...

why do you think the motor still works if the wipers don't move? Can you hear the motor run or can you see a little movement when you turn the switch on?

What happens when you activate the washers?

go to a salvage yard that allows you to remove the parts yourself. Then you can see how the motor and linkage assembly comes out.


don't have 1983 info, but here is 1994:

Section 01-16A: Wiper and Washer System, Ranger/Explorer 1994 Ranger and Explorer Vehicles Workshop Manual
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Windshield Wiper System, Ranger/Explorer The windshield wipers are actuated by a permanent magnet, rotary-type electric windshield wiper motor (17504) . The two windshield wiper pivot arms (17526) and windshield wiper blades (17528) are mounted on a pivot shaft, one at each side of the windshield. The windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft (17566) are connected to the motor by windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip (17531) . Ranger and Explorer vehicles are equipped with an interval wiper and washer (IWW) system featuring a lever-type turn signal and windshield wiper switch (13K359) mounted on the steering column. The IWW windshield wiper governor (17C476) uses a relay contact to control current to the windshield wiper motor . The governor electronic circuitry controls the contact to supply current to windshield wiper motor . A rear wiper/washer system is available on Explorer vehicles. The rear window wiper system consists of a windshield wiper motor mounted inside the liftgate (40010) , an articulating windshield wiper pivot arm and windshield wiper blade , a windshield wiper/washer switch (17A553) and an inline circuit breaker. The front electric windshield washer system consists of a control switch, integral with the turn signal, a windshield washer reservoir (17618) and windshield wiper motor and the necessary windshield washer hoses (17A605) , windshield washer nozzle jet and brackets (17603) and attaching parts.
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Pivot Shafts and Linkage Removal and Installation
NOTE: The left and right pivot and windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip assemblies are serviced separately.

1. Perform Steps 1 through 9 of Windshield Wiper Motor Removal as described in this section.

1. If servicing left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip , remove left windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assembly.

1. Remove left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Remove left pivot nut, lower windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip and slide it out through left access opening. For installation, follow removal procedures in reverse order. Tighten nut to 10-13 Nm (7-10 ft-lb). Make sure the clip is fully seated in the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip . Do not try to install clip with windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on motor crank pin.
   

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Windshield Wiper Motor Windshield wiper motor are not serviceable. If worn or damaged, the windshield wiper motor must be replaced as an assembly. Removal

1. Cycle windshield wiper blades until in straight-up position and turn ignition switch OFF.

1. Disconnect battery and wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Remove the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade .

1. Disconnect the battery ground cable (14301).

1. Remove the right pivot nut and allow the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip to drop into the cowl top outer panel .

1. Remove the linkage access cover, located on the right side of the dash panel near the windshield wiper motor.

1. Reach through the access cover opening and unsnap the wiper motor clip.

1. Push the clip away from the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip until it clears the nib on the crack pin. Then, push the clip off the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip.

1. Remove the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip from windshield wiper motor crank pin.

1. Remove nut and ground strap.

1. Remove three attaching nuts from windshield wiper motor. Remove the windshield wiper motor .

Installation

1. Position the windshield wiper motor and install the three attaching screws. Tighten to 13.6-19.0 Nm (10-14 ft-lb).

1. Install nut and ground strap.

1. Connect wiper motor electrical connector.

1. Install clip completely onto right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip. Make sure the clip is fully seated. Do not put the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip on the motor crank pin and then try to install the clip.

1. Install the left windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin.

1. Install the right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the wiper motor crank pin. Pull the windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip onto the crank pin until it snaps into place. The clip is properly installed if the nib is protruding through the center of the clip.

1. Install the right windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and nut. Tighten the nut to 9.5-12.5 Nm (84-110 in-lb). NOTE: When the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the powertrain control module (PCM) (12A650) relearns its adaptive strategy. The vehicle may need to be driven 10 miles or more to relearn the strategy.
   

1. Connect the battery ground cable and turn the ignition switch on. Turn turn signal and windshield wiper switch off so windshield wiper motor will park, then turn ignition switch off. Replace right windshield wiper adapter and connecting arm clip access cover.

1. Install the windshield wiper mounting arm and pivot shaft and windshield wiper blade assemblies on the pivot shafts to dimension X. Dimension X is the distance between the centerline of the blade saddle and the top edge of the cowl top outer panel grille. The value of Dimension X for each vehicle is given in the Dimension X chart in the Specifications portion of this section.

1. Test the system.

What I would suggest you do is the following:

1) Remove the driver side wiper (arm & blade).
2) Start the car and turn on the wipers.
3) When the passenger wiper is straight up and down .. turn off the car. This leaves the wiper in position.
4) Re-install the drivers side wiper and put it back on so its position is the same as the passenger - making them parallel

Start the car and test

tighten the nut under the cap, of the wiper