Hi - My 03 Ion wipers have just started to cause me problems. Went through an automatic car wash a few weeks ago and the driver's side wiper arm flipped up and i think got bent/broke somewhere inside during the car wash. The arm now is very loose and 'wobbly' compared to the passenger side one - I hope it just needs tightening and not an entire wiper transmission replacement. I don't want to get hosed at the repair shop so am putting it off until I get some advice. Both wipers still work, but the driver's side is half a second slower wiping up, and half a second slower wiping down than the passenger wiper.

I would call around to local junkyards and see if any have an 03 Ion. If so go buy the drivers wiper arm from them. At the base of the arm is a socket with serrations or splines in it. If these are rounded off, do not buy the arm, just keep looking. Once you have a good one, make sure your wiper switch is in OFF position. Have someone with some basic tools pull off the plastic cap over the base of your wiper arm if it is still there. Generally these caps are gone after about 2 years. Then remove the nut which holds the arm onto the little stub. Pull the wiper arm off, may take a little gentle rocking but do not pry against glass. When it is off, put your replacement arm on so that it sits in the right rest position, snug the nut down, and put the cap back on. If you know what loctite is that nut would be a good place for it, but not necessary. Might be a good time to replace both wiper blades. Alternatively you can pull off the cap and snug the nut down, but if the serrations are smoothed over this will be useless.